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All that glitters…
An Old Woman Cooking Eggs, Diego Velazquez, 1618. National Gallery of Scotland, NG 2180 …could be pewter. Or do I mean tin? Carolina had excellent points about pewter being, yes, that shiny, though we...
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Sweeping Clean
Sweeper 1746, Etching with some engraving Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1953 MMA 53.600.588(56) This is how we’ve spent our time off: quite a bit of cooking, though I did much in advance (the oven is...
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Mopping Up
A City Shower. Oil on canvas by Edward Penny, 1764. Museum of London Springtime sadness is best remedied by scouring[1], so in the best Scandinavian fashion, I have been looking into 18th century...
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Flopsy Mopsy
Mop sellers, red chalk on paper, Paul Sandy, 1759. Museum of London 65.59/5 They’re pretty consistent: mops appear to be made of fibers attached to a handle. These look like they’re simple string mops....
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Women’s Work
Paul Sandby. A kitchen scene circa 1754. pen and ink and watercolour | RCIN 914332 The irony is not lost on me: I do stereotypical women’s work as I struggle to bring a feminist interpretation to a...
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Mopping Up Action
Photo by Asher Lurie This past weekend, I took my show on the road down 95 to Trenton’s Old Barracks Museum, where once again, soldiers’ rooms needed cleaning. Hannah Glasse exhorts servants...
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Mop It Up
“Useful occupations: Women’s work, sewing, spinning, washing, ironing etc,” illustration from Basedow’s ‘Elementary Work’, 1770. Etching by Daniel Chodowiecki — at LACMA Mrs. Boice is at it again,...
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Would I Lye to You?
Now, really, would I lye to you? Some people will tell you I overextend myself, and while those people may be correct, my enthusiasms compel me to do more, try more, travel more, and to that end I...
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Shine On
It has been quite busy chez Calash, with What Cheer Day a little over a week away, the Warren Commission happening tomorrow, and various and sundry other things to do, like get a Young Giant into...
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Serving Delaplace
With 400 miles between us, Drunk Tailor and I have few chances to explore the past together, so I was both delighted and nervous when he agreed to join the British Garrison 1775 event at Fort...
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In Defense of Bad History
A City Shower. Oil on canvas by Edward Penny, 1764. Museum of London Not inaccurate or badly researched history, of course, but the “Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know” kind of history. Without wading...
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