Too Many Cooks 1900 - 1913

Editor: This pen and ink drawing is called "Too Many Cooks" by Katherine May Roberts, created sometime between 1900 and 1913. There's almost a chaotic energy with these kids all crammed into one kitchen space. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: It's fascinating to consider this through the lens of domestic labor and the evolving roles of women and children in the early 20th century. Roberts, working within the Arts and Crafts movement, likely aimed to critique the sentimental idealization of domesticity. The title itself suggests a disruption of the traditional, orderly household. How do you read the children’s interactions in terms of power dynamics? Editor: I guess I hadn't considered the "power dynamics." I just saw them as, well, kids making a mess! Curator: Exactly! And isn't that disruption potentially subversive? Roberts is not just depicting children playing; she's using the trope of childhood innocence to subtly question the prescribed roles within the home. What do you notice about their clothing, and how might that contribute to this reading? Editor: They're wearing these old-fashioned dresses and aprons. It feels very staged, like they’re playing at being adults. Curator: Precisely. Their performative engagement with domesticity highlights its artificiality. And think about who had the luxury to perform domestic roles in this period, and who did not. Considering race and class, whose labor is rendered invisible by this image? Editor: I see what you mean. This seemingly innocent scene brings up questions about gender, class, and even the hidden labor within a household. I’ll definitely look at art of this period differently now! Curator: I hope it encourages you to always think critically about what an image includes, but more importantly what it leaves out.