William Henry Burr - The Intelligence Office [1849]

William Henry Burr - The Intelligence Office [1849], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

Burr (American, 1819–1908) offers a startling view of the reality for women in the labour force at mid-century. The scene is an employment office where a self-satisfied proprietor offers a lady a selection of his best maids or housekeepers. The chosen girl stares out, resigned to her lot. Behind her are plainer, grimmer candidates. Burr's apparent objectivity is striking: he hints at emotion only in the way one woman grasps the rail while clutching her shawl close to her body, perhaps in desperation. The scene's rather eerie quality, a hint of potential future discord, is reiterated by the sign on the back wall: ‘Agent for Domestics - Warranted Honest.’ The lady seeking a maid must trust the agent and also be aware of the risk of admitting a pretty servant into her household.

[New York Historical Society Museum - Oil on canvas, 55.9 x 68.6 cm]