Photograph by
Griffith and Griffith, founded 1896
Published by
Griffith and Griffith, founded 1896
Subject of
Unidentified Woman or Women
Date
1900
Medium
ink on paper (fiber product) with dye on cardboard
Dimensions
H x W (Image): 3 1/16 × 6 in. (7.7 × 15.2 cm)
H x W (Sheet): 3 7/16 × 7 in. (8.8 × 17.8 cm)
Description
A monochromatic half-tone print with hand tinting mounted to thin a stereocard, depicting a woman standing at a kitchen table. This stereo card consists of two identical side by side images. In a heavily geometric patterned kitchen, a dark haired woman stands behind a dark four legged table. She wears a white dotted red scarf on her head, a red blouse, and a checkered skirt. At the white cloth covered table are bowls, utensils, and a rolling pin. To the proper right of the table, half visible in the camera’s frame, is a slat back wooden chair. A significant portion of the wall behind the woman is covered in fractal-like tiles or wallpaper, above which hangs ladles, decorated plates, tea cups, and various other objects. The floor is entirely patterned, and there are indiscernible objects strewn there, in front of the table the woman works at. To the woman’s left, beyond the doorway, more hanging plates and cups are visible atop another ornate wall and a set table. The floor is also very ornately patterned in an unknown material. Below the right image card, printed on the sheet in bold English is: Mrs. Newlywed’s New Wench Cook.
Statement
Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.
Place captured
United States, North and Central America
Classification
Racist and Stereotypical Objects
Photographs and Still Images
Type
relief halftones
stereographs
Topic
Caricature and cartoons
Cooking and dining
Domestic life
Foodways
Labor
Photography
Stereotypes
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Mark Miller and Barbara Smeltzer
Object number
2019.3.5
Restrictions & Rights
Public domain
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd54c6f0f2b-a5e1-42af-92a4-9f1758a5edb8

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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