When the department store was new: Elizabeth Sparhawk-Jones, The Shoe Shop, c. 1911

Summary

The video explores Elizabeth Sparhawk-Jones' 1911 painting, 'Shoe Shop,' which depicts a busy, modern department store scene. Through her loose brushwork and blend of realism and impressionism, Sparhawk-Jones captures the momentary nature of shopping, highlighting the changing dynamics of women's roles in society during the early 20th century. The painting focuses on the social mobility of working-class women and the new public space for upper and middle-class women, while subtly alluding to the hidden labor and struggles behind mass production. The piece also connects to the broader women's suffrage movement of the era.

Takeaways

• 😀 Elizabeth Sparhawk-Jones's painting 'Shoe Shop' from 1911 depicts a department store scene, highlighting the newness of modern shopping culture at the time.
• 😀 The painting’s loose brushstrokes give a sense of a fleeting moment, capturing the passing nature of the shopping experience.
• 😀 Department stores, particularly in the early 20th century, represented a shift from custom-made to ready-made goods, such as shoes, for standard sizes and prices.
• 😀 Shopping in department stores was a new and public activity, especially for women, offering freedom and mobility in urban environments.
• 😀 The painting focuses on female figures, with shop girls portrayed with a sense of subservience compared to the women shopping, highlighting social and class differences.
• 😀 Sparhawk-Jones, who studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, painted in an environment influenced by the growing department stores in Philadelphia, such as Wanamaker's.
• 😀 The painting also reflects the new role of working-class women in department stores, providing them with the opportunity to work in respectable environments and potentially improve their social standing.
• 😀 The Triangle Shirtwaist fire, a tragic event in 1911, serves as a reminder of the harsh labor conditions in factories that produced ready-made clothing and shoes.
• 😀 The painting's grand setting of the department store contrasts with the hidden realities of factory labor, emphasizing the divide between production and consumerism.
• 😀 Sparhawk-Jones blends realism and impressionism in her style, capturing modern life with rapid brushstrokes and a sense of movement while maintaining a grounded representation of space and figures.

Q & A

What is the significance of the painting 'Shoe Shop' by Elizabeth Sparhawk-Jones?

The painting captures a moment of modern city life in the early 20th century, focusing on the new shopping experience in department stores. It reflects the societal changes during this time, particularly the rise of mass-produced goods and the shifting roles of women in public spaces.

How does Sparhawk-Jones' brushwork contribute to the feeling of the painting?

Sparhawk-Jones uses loose brushstrokes, deliberately leaving areas of brushiness, which gives a sense of fleeting time and the transient nature of the moment being depicted, enhancing the feeling of an ordinary but significant event.

What role do department stores play in the painting's context?

Department stores, emerging in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, symbolize a new form of shopping that was organized by departments and offered ready-made goods, representing a modern shift in consumer culture. The painting showcases this new type of public activity, especially the participation of women.

How does the painting reflect social class dynamics?

The painting contrasts the higher social status of the women shopping with the lower status of the shop girls, who are depicted with their heads slightly lowered, suggesting a sense of subservience. This highlights the social hierarchy and the mobility that certain groups, like middle and upper-class women, experienced during this period.

Why are the shop girls depicted with heads lowered in the painting?

The lowered heads of the shop girls suggest a sense of deference and subservience, reflecting their lower social status compared to the women shopping. This visual detail emphasizes the social and economic disparities of the time.

What is the significance of the Triangle Shirtwaist fire in relation to the painting?

The Triangle Shirtwaist fire, where over 140 women died due to unsafe working conditions, is mentioned to highlight the harsh realities of factory labor, which is not directly shown in the painting. The painting focuses on the glamour and newness of shopping while ignoring the struggles of the women working in the factories that produced the ready-made goods.

What is the connection between women's suffrage and the painting?

The painting is set during the 1910s, a transitional decade for the women’s suffrage movement, which culminated in the passing of the 19th Amendment in 1920. The painting’s focus on women in public spaces ties into the larger context of women's increasing visibility and participation in society during this period.

How does Sparhawk-Jones' style blend realism and impressionism?

Sparhawk-Jones combines elements of both realism and impressionism in her work. The impressionistic aspect is seen in her loose, rapid brushstrokes and the lack of clear outlines, while the realism comes through in the figures' solid forms and grounded space.

Why does the painting feel chaotic, yet controlled?

The controlled chaos in the painting mirrors the busy, dynamic environment of a department store. The figures interacting with the shoes and shop girls suggest a sense of bustling activity, but Sparhawk-Jones maintains control over the composition, balancing movement with structured brushwork.

What does the depiction of women in the painting say about women's roles in early 20th-century society?

The painting depicts women engaging in public commerce, which was a new and significant aspect of their roles during the early 20th century. Women were gaining more public visibility, both as consumers and as workers in the department store environment, representing the evolving societal and economic opportunities for women.