Description 2013 RC deWinter ~ All Rights Reserved
The life of the average servant in the Victorian and Edwardian eras was not, on the whole, as relatively humane as depicted in the wildly popular PBS series Downton Abbey.
In a large house a servants duties might be more bearable simply because there more hands to do the work, but in a middle-class household with only one or two maids the work was never-ending and often demeaning. Employers thought nothing of changing a servants name if they found it unpleasing. Time off was limited to a few hours a week and was allotted with no thought to the needs of the individual. Servants were generally on duty from 5 AM until bedtime, which might not arrive until 8 or 9 PM. Many worked sixteen to eighteen hours a day. Every aspect of a servants life revolved about the needs and whims of their employers.
Despite the indignities and rigors of a servants life in those times, however, there is some truth to the fact that their lives were better than those of factory workers and those who took in work at home, not to mention prostitutes. Servants could rise in position through the knowledge gained by living in a well-off household. Their understanding of the world at large was often vastly augmented by their time in service as well. Many learned enough and saved enough to eventually move into the small merchant or office-work class.
Here we see a relatively comfortable servants bedroom. In stark contrast to the often dark, moldy rooms occupied by kitchen workers and servants in less agreeable households, this room is painted, carpeted and well-lit by unseen windows. Note the extra underspring in case a second bed is needed for an additional servant, along with the chamber pot that was still common in many well-off households into the early 20th century.
RC DeWinter, Fairfield, CT Member Since December 2008 Artist StatementHello and welcome to my portfolio on Imagekind. Here's a bit about me:
RC deWinter is a Connecticut writer/digital artist whose artwork has been published in many print and online journals, including, among others, The American Muse, Fine Art Photography, Poetry Nook, 2River View, Pink Panther, Official Feature Online Entertainment Magazine, Garden Tripod and also used as set décor on ABC-TV’s “Desperate Housewives." In 2013 Ms. deWinter she was one of six finalists for a Shorty Award, the national social media awards, in art. Ms. deWinter is honored to be the first digital artist invited to exhibit at the Arts of Tolland Gallery in Connecticut. Her 4-week solo exhibition was an unqualified success. Her poetry publication credits include The New York Times, Uno: A Poetry Anthology, 2River View, Another Sun, Pink Panther Magazine, Pilcrow & Dagger, Plum Ruby Review, Poetry Life and Times and numerous other print/online publications. If you enjoy my work, please spread the word, and thank you for stopping by.
Don't miss my beautiful original artwork calendars printed in the USA on heavy stock. Always available - you choose the starting month and year: Original Artwork Calendars by RC deWinter