In the Kitchen n.d.

Charles Samuel Keene made this print called ‘In the Kitchen’ using pen and brown ink on paper. Made in England, perhaps in the 1870s or 80s, it depicts a moment in the lives of two women, one evidently a servant and the other likely her employer. Keene here offers a glimpse into Victorian social hierarchy by focusing on the domestic sphere, where class distinctions were often sharply defined. Notice how the artist has rendered the figures. The mistress in her fashionable dress and the servant in a simple apron, are distinguished by their clothes. The kitchen setting, with its array of hanging pots and pans, suggests a stage for the drama of daily life. Was Keene subtly critiquing these social dynamics? To fully understand this work, we can delve into Victorian social history, exploring sources like census records, etiquette manuals, and domestic advice books, which would reveal more about the complex relationships within Victorian households. Through careful investigation, the contingent and relational nature of art comes into view.