The collar was almost the worst part of the Business 1919

Jessie Willcox Smith created this image, "The collar was almost the worst part of the Business," likely in the early 20th century. It depicts a young boy struggling to fit a collar onto a horse in a stable. Smith was one of the most successful female illustrators in America, whose work often appeared in books and magazines. Her focus on children coincided with a wider cultural shift towards understanding childhood as a distinct and valuable stage of life. This image might reflect a nostalgic view of rural life, and the relationship between humans and animals. By examining the journals and letters of families from this period, we can learn more about the values and social conditions that shaped such imagery. Perhaps it was the experience of this kind of care work that Smith wanted to explore, representing an exchange between a child and an animal that stands apart from the growing industrialisation of the time. Art can offer an important window into understanding social life.