La représentation des nourrices dans l’espace public : figures du travail dans la peinture de la deuxième moitié du XIXe siècle

Abstract

The representation of Parisian wetnurses is a recurrent motif in painting from the 19th century’s latter half. On-site wetnurses are often depicted in settings characteristic of Haussmann’s urban transformations, such as public gardens and boulevards. These anonymous figures of motherhood and domestic life underline these places’ picturesque quality and contribute to their idealisation. However, these pictorial representations warp the reality of their laborious activity. Images conceal the violence and the control exercised over the wetnurses and confer prescriptive power to the cliché.

Keywords

• wetnurse
• nanny
• servant
• impressionism
• Paris
• public parks