Domestic Servant Collection

French milkmaid from the time of Louis XIV
3784714 French milkmaid from the time of Louis XIV; (add.info.: French milkmaid from the time of Louis XIV, 1680 - from engraving by Hippolyte Pauquet, after Bonnart)

Illustration depicting a statute fair, where servants could be hired by wealthy families, 1790 (engraving)
5616468 Illustration depicting a statute fair, where servants could be hired by wealthy families, 1790 (engraving); Universal History Archive/UIG

The cook and the parlour maid, 1875 (engraving)
5616388 The cook and the parlour maid, 1875 (engraving); Universal History Archive/UIG

An overweight maid opening the front door of the house she works in. 1/1/1845 (engraving)
5616025 An overweight maid opening the front door of the house she works in. 1/1/1845 (engraving); Universal History Archive/UIG

A nursemaid watching her charges
5616384 A nursemaid watching her charges; (add.info.: Illustration depicting a nursemaid watching her charges. Dated 19th Century. 01/01/1882); Universal History Archive/UIG

A young maid taking notes
5616490 A young maid taking notes; (add.info.: Illustration depicting a young maid taking notes for her employer. Dated 19th Century. 01/01/1878); Universal History Archive/UIG

An overweight maid opening the front door
5616280 An overweight maid opening the front door; (add.info.: Illustration depicting an overweight maid opening the front door of the house she works in. Dated 19th Century)

Illustration depicting a March fair, where servants could be hired by wealthy families, 1790 (engraving)
5616458 Illustration depicting a March fair, where servants could be hired by wealthy families, 1790 (engraving); Universal History Archive/UIG

An overweight maid opening the front door
5616386 An overweight maid opening the front door; (add.info.: Illustration depicting an overweight maid opening the front door of the house she works in. Dated 19th Century)

Cartoon depicting a maid, sitting with her feet up, reading a book, 1876 (engraving)
5616385 Cartoon depicting a maid, sitting with her feet up, reading a book, 1876 (engraving); Universal History Archive/UIG

The ghost of a domestic servant
5616390 The ghost of a domestic servant; (add.info.: Cartoon depicting the ghost of a domestic servant. Dated 19th Century. 01/01/1896); Universal History Archive/UIG

The woman of the house and the maid, 1865 (engraving)
5616365 The woman of the house and the maid, 1865 (engraving); Universal History Archive/UIG

The Servant Problem, 1860
1574597 The Servant Problem, 1860; (add.info.: The servant problem: Housewife visits the kitchen to complain to her Good Plain Cook about caterpillars in vegetables)

Housewife washing dishes, 1890 (engraving)
1574598 Housewife washing dishes, 1890 (engraving); (add.info.: Housewife helping with washing the dishes while her maid puts the crockery away)

The Centenary Fete of the Asylum for Female Orphans - the Archbishop of Canterbury Saying Grace, 1858 Creator: Unknown
The Centenary Fete of the Asylum for Female Orphans - the Archbishop of Canterbury Saying Grace, 1858. The object of the charity is to provide a home for orphan girls

AI IMAGE - Victorian period kitchen with housekeeper and maid, 2023. Creator: Heritage Images
AI IMAGE - Victorian period kitchen with housekeeper and maid, 2023

Old Anna. From A Home (26 watercolours). Creator: Carl Larsson
Old Anna. From A Home (26 watercolours), Unknown date

Maid from The Hague, 1775. Creator: Paulus Constantijn la Fargue
Maid from The Hague, 1775

Dienstmeisjes op de Leidsegracht, c.1890-c.1900. Creator: Isaac Lazerus Israels
Maids on the Leidsegracht, c.1890-c.1900. (The Leidsegracht is a canal in Amsterdam)

Madame Leroux'; By Francis Eleanor Trollope; Whereapon the housemaid said she know'd the young man Creator
Madame Leroux'; By Francis Eleanor Trollope; Whereupon the housemaid said she know'd the young man wasn't waiting there for nothing, and set them down as a couple of sweethearts, 1890

Pupils at Uppsala Housekeeping School, 1890-1899. Creator: Henri Osti
Pupils at Uppsala Housekeeping School, 1890-1899. The girls are dressed in dark dresses and light aprons, three of them have a white cap on their head. The girls hold various household utensils

Southcott, (1750- 1814), 1830. Creator: Unknown
Southcott, (1750- 1814), 1830. Joanna Southcott (1750- 1814) self-described religious prophetess, dismissed as a domestic servant she joined the Wesleyan Church

Appy Ampstead on a Bank Holiday, 1900, (1933). Creator: Unknown
Appy Ampstead on a Bank Holiday, 1900, (1933)....maid servants...still wore the badge of their status - the apron - even on their day out

National Gallery, London, UK
Passing the oil, detail from Extreme Unction (oil on canvas) (Photo by Art Images via Getty Images)

Costume of a domestic servant or Tchocadar, Ottoman Empire
6339771 Costume of a domestic servant or Tchocadar, Ottoman Empire by Dalvimart, Octavian (18th century) (after); (add.info.: Costume of a domestic servant or Tchocadar, Ottoman Empire)

Domestic servant of the Grand Vizier
6340161 Domestic servant of the Grand Vizier by Dalvimart, Octavian (18th century) (after); (add.info.: Domestic servant of the Grand Vizier)

Rag Doll "Susie", c. 1937. Creator: Bertha Semple
Rag Doll " Susie", c. 1937

Marionette - "Biddy", c. 1939. Creator: Hilda Olson
Marionette - " Biddy", c. 1939

Absence of ideas for meals, illustration from Pont
STC398789 Absence of ideas for meals, illustration from Pont: An Account of the Life and Work of the great Punch artist (litho) by Pont (Graham Laidler) (1908-40)

Caney The Clown, from Street Life in London, by J
659994 Caney The Clown, from Street Life in London, by J. Thomson and Adolphe Smith, 1877 (b/w photo) by Thomson, John (1837-1921); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; Scottish

The Laundry Maid, print made by Philip Dawe, 1772 (mezzotint)
695583 The Laundry Maid, print made by Philip Dawe, 1772 (mezzotint) by Morland, Henry Robert (1730-97) (after); The Geffrye Museum of the Home, London, UK; eGeffrye Museum; British, out of copyright

Female Lucubration, print made by Philip Dawe, 1772 (mezzotint)
695582 Female Lucubration, print made by Philip Dawe, 1772 (mezzotint) by Foldson, John (18th century) (after); The Geffrye Museum of the Home, London

The Virtuous Comforted by Sympathy and Attention, print made by Valentine Green
695580 The Virtuous Comforted by Sympathy and Attention, print made by Valentine Green, 1775 (mezzotint) by Penny, Edward (1714-91); The Geffrye Museum of the Home, London

A Gentleman Dressing, attended by his Head Bearer, and other Servants
STC217074 A Gentleman Dressing, attended by his Head Bearer, and other Servants, plate 4 from The European in India, published 1813 (hand-coloured aquatint) by D Oyly

A Gentlemans Kedmutgars, or Table Servants, bringing in Dinner
STC217073 A Gentlemans Kedmutgars, or Table Servants, bringing in Dinner, plate 8 from The European in India, published 1813 (hand-coloured aquatint) by D Oyly

A Laputian Gentleman Taking a Walk, from Gullivers Travels by Jonathon Swift
3467979 A Laputian Gentleman Taking a Walk, from Gullivers Travels by Jonathon Swift (1667 - 1745), pub. 1909 (colour litho) by Rackham

A nursemaid watching her charges
5616383 A nursemaid watching her charges by Edwards, Mary Ellen (1838-1934); (add.info.: Illustration depicting a nursemaid watching her charges)

An engraving depicting Welsh girls at a Hollantide Fair, a hiring fair
5311038 An engraving depicting Welsh girls at a Hollantide Fair, a hiring fair, waiting to be engaged as domestic servants

A cook and butler
5616381 A cook and butler by Du Maurier, George (1834-96); (add.info.: Cartoon depicting a cook and butler by George du Maurier (1834-1896) a Franco-British cartoonist and author. Dated 19th Century

Domestic servant of the time of Henry III of France (coloured engraving)
960423 Domestic servant of the time of Henry III of France (coloured engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Domestic servant of the time of Henry III of France)

Blind man, water carrier, commissionaire and domestic servant, reign of Louis XIII of France
976152 Blind man, water carrier, commissionaire and domestic servant, reign of Louis XIII of France, 17th Century (coloured engraving) by French School

"Hooray! I believe I ve broken my arm"(colour litho)
818363 " Hooray! I believe I ve broken my arm" (colour litho) by Browne, Tom (1872-1910); Private Collection; (add.info.: " Hooray! I believe I ve broken my arm")

The Young Housekeeper, 1741-63. Creator: John Ingram
The Young Housekeeper, 1741-63

Implements Animated, Pl. 2, Dedicated to the Housemaids and Cooks of the United Kingdoms, ca. 1811

A Woman From Savoy, 1737. Creator: Caylus, Anne-Claude-Philippe de
A Woman From Savoy, 1737

Pea Shellers, 1737. Creator: Caylus, Anne-Claude-Philippe de
Pea Shellers, 1737

A Laputian Gentleman Taking a Walk, 1909
A Laputian Gentleman Taking a Walk, from Gullivers Travels by Jonathon Swift (1667 - 1745), pub. 1909 (colour lithograph)

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"Unveiling the Lives of Domestic Servants: A Journey through Time and Art" Step into the intriguing world of domestic servants as we explore their roles, stories, and struggles depicted in various artworks throughout history. From 18th-century enema treatments to bustling scenes on a Bank Holiday, these captivating glimpses shed light on the lives of those who worked behind closed doors. In the National Gallery, London, UK, Southcott's mysterious piece from 1830 leaves us pondering its unknown creator. The painting transports us back to an era where domestic servants were an integral part of households but often overlooked by society. Traveling forward in time to Appy Ampstead's depiction of a Bank Holiday in 1900 captures the energy and chaos that surrounded these hardworking individuals during moments of leisure. The artist remains anonymous but manages to convey both joy and exhaustion within this vibrant scene. Camille Pissarro's "The Young Servant" takes us even further back to 1882 with his poignant portrayal of a young girl immersed in her daily duties. This thought-provoking artwork reminds us that behind every household task lies a person with dreams, aspirations, and untold stories. Venturing beyond traditional art forms, we encounter a color lithograph capturing an attempted murder at Saint-Ouen in France. Though shocking at first glance, it serves as a reminder that even within seemingly mundane settings like domestic service lurk tales filled with intrigue and danger. Shifting our focus globally brings us to the Ottoman Empire where we discover detailed depictions showcasing costumes worn by domestic servants or Tchocadars serving under influential figures such as Grand Viziers. These illustrations provide insight into not only their clothing but also their social status within this complex society. Bertha Semple's creation "Rag Doll 'Susie'" from around 1937 introduces another aspect of servitude – childhood companionship for those growing up in households where domestic work was prevalent.