Milkmaids in St. James’s Park, Westminster Abbey Beyond c. 1801

Benjamin West painted this scene of Milkmaids in St. James’s Park during a time of significant social stratification in 18th-century London. Through a pastoral lens, the painting invites us to consider the roles and expectations tied to class and gender during this era. Milkmaids, often young women from rural backgrounds, navigated a complex social landscape. They were working-class women who occupied a unique, and often sexualized, space in the urban economy. Here, they are depicted performing their labor, but also as figures of curiosity and perhaps even amusement for the wealthier onlookers. West’s scene captures a moment where these different worlds intersect, inviting questions about access, visibility, and the ways in which labor and leisure are divided along class lines. The artist asks us to consider the lives and labor of the milkmaids, while also prompting us to reflect on the social dynamics of the time.