The Household Gods 1880

Editor: Waterhouse's "The Household Gods," painted in 1880, is fascinating. It depicts two women engaged in what appears to be a religious ritual, rendered in oil paint with that smooth, almost photographic quality. The scene is domestic, yet there's a gravity to their actions. How do you interpret this work? Curator: This painting, situated within the late Victorian obsession with classical antiquity, allows us to unpack the complex relationship between gender, domesticity, and religious practice in the 19th century. Waterhouse is referencing Roman traditions of household worship, yet filtered through a very specific lens. Who were these "household gods" for these women? What did they represent? Editor: I guess a sense of security? A way to control the unknown? Curator: Exactly. But consider also the power dynamics at play. In Roman society, these rituals, while seemingly confined to the domestic sphere, actually offered women a certain agency and authority within the household. Do you think Waterhouse successfully conveys this complexity, or does he romanticize it? Editor: I think it's a bit romanticized. There is something very serene and safe in the atmosphere that he creates. Curator: I agree. The composition focuses on female figures engaged in culturally specific activities, drawing parallels to contemporary notions of women being keepers of tradition, religion, and the home, thereby cementing conservative views on womanhood and belonging. The work can therefore act as a dialogue about cultural context when making comparisons between now and the past. Editor: That’s a compelling reading. I hadn't thought about how it speaks to both ancient Roman and Victorian social norms simultaneously. Curator: And isn't that precisely the power of art? To hold up a mirror to our present by reflecting the past. The choice to show these specific domestic rituals reinforces what a private woman's space might have been and also challenges the societal impositions women face. Editor: I learned so much – thanks for expanding my understanding of both the art historical context and those gendered cultural critiques that emerge.