Women Working in the Kitchen of a Farmhouse near Olevano, Italy 1845 - 1848

Wilhelm Marstrand made this artwork, of undetermined date, depicting women working in the kitchen of a farmhouse near Olevano, Italy. Here, the image is not only of a moment in time, but of women’s labour in 19th century rural Italy, an important part of the economy but one that was often overlooked in favour of grander subjects. We can see this through the artist's attention to detail in the interior of the farmhouse kitchen. The setting, complete with a large fireplace and simple furniture, shows how Italian rural communities lived. The women, possibly family members, are engaged in food preparation, emphasizing the social and economic roles women played in maintaining rural households. Marstrand’s artwork gives us a window into the daily lives and social structures of 19th-century Italy. Historians can use sources such as census records, local histories, and studies of rural economies to contextualize it. The painting is then more than just a pretty picture, it is evidence of historical conditions.