Connecting with the past through humor: Selected works of Lilly Marten Spencer

The world of the nineteenth century seems far removed from our own. Twenty four hour news cycles, cell phones, car and plane travel all would seem to distance us from the everyday life of the nineteenth century family. Yet here is where art can travel the distance of time and experience and give us something to relate to those who have come before us. 

Lilly Marten Spencer (1822-1902) was the most prolific female genre artist of the nineteenth century. Her works were mainly composed of idyllic domestic scenes.  It is this portrayal of domestic life along with a kind of playful humor that she infused into her work that set her apart from many of her contemporaries. It is particularly her somewhat wry humor and the honesty in which she portrayed the urban domestic life that cause her work to be relatable even to this day.

Whether it’s the awkwardness of early marriage, the chore of the mundane, or the fleeting nature of beauty, Spencer evokes emotions we all can relate to. In this, even we in the modern world can find that those in the past are very much like ourselves and that the important things in life rarely change.

·      Lilly Marten Spencer, Young Husband: First Marketing 1854 Hunter Museum

In this small window into urban life in the mid nineteenth century Lilly Marten Spencer both plays against the viewers expectations and the expectations of the society at the time. At first the viewer is drawn to see the main subject as an unfortunate character suffering a near catastrophe. This man’s ignominy is emphasized by the fact that he is wetting himself from the skein under his right arm. However, with the title the main subject changes from being tragic to being incompetent. Spencer even somewhat “shares” the joke with the viewer with the second main subject looking past the unfortunate man to the viewer. This work in particular was not well received in Spencer’s day. In particular a woman portraying a man in a humorous way was seen as unseemly. Yet in the hindsight of history most young husbands (and probably most young wives) would probably empathize with Spencer’s young husband.

·      Lilly Marten Spencer, Young Wife: First Stew 1854 Private Collection (unlocated)

Young Wife: First Stew is the sister piece to Young Husband: First Marketing. Spencer created the two pieces together as a unified thought piece. Here however, the focus shifts and is less humorous and more matter of fact. It is initially unclear as to who the “young wife” is. More than likely she would be the better dressed woman rather than the plainer dressed woman. The second woman’s function within the painting may be to question the idyllic perfection on display on the table. The beauty of the produce, coupled with the beauty of the finer woman’s dress (even her apron seems a little “rich”) appears a little to “neat”. In the modern parlance we might find the left hand side of the piece “Instagram worthy”.  There is even a strategically placed Bible on the table. The second character who is dirtier and plainer seems to beg the question, “Is this real?”

·      Lilly Marten Spencer, Peeling Onions 1852 Memorial Art Gallery

Soulful, red eyed, and plaintive, Spencer paints this woman looking directly at the viewer. The viewer is drawn into her plight and initially is filled with sympathy. That is until one looks at the cutting board. There we see that she is in the middle of cutting an onion. Spencer’s first hand knowledge of housework helps to portray this woman as being both vulnerable and powerful at the same time. Her tears are the result of a firm grip and strong bare forearms. This piece is a good example of Spencer elevating, humanizing and calling attention to the beauty of the domestic chore. 

·      Lilly Marten Spencer, Shake Hands? 1854 Ohio Historical Society

Spencer offers the viewer a moment of playful interaction within the everyday chores of life. This piece both highlights Lilly Marten Spencer’s insight into the everyday life of a wife and mother and Spencer’s keen humor. Baking for a large family (Spencer had a family of 13) would have been an everyday occurrence for most nineteenth century women. Yet despite this chore, Spencer portrays her subject as cheerful even playful in her work. Even today her offer of a piece of dough is tempting.

·      Lilly Marten Spencer, We Both Must Fade (Mrs. Fithian) 1869 Smithsonian American Art Museum

We Both Must Fade (Mrs. Fithian) is arguably one of Spencer’s most beautiful pieces. It also repeats Spencer’s penchant for using the title of her paintings to either change or direct the narrative of the piece. It also highlights a subtly dark humor. One can easily imagine a middle aged Spencer painting her subject with a knowing irony. The fragile cut rose, already wilting emphasizes the transitory nature of the stunning beauty holding it.