Bible Lesson [recto] 1780 - 1790

Mather Brown made this pen and brown ink drawing called ‘Bible Lesson’ around the turn of the 19th century. Brown spent his career between England and America, painting portraits for wealthy patrons. But this sketch hints at the importance of religious institutions in the formation of social life. We see a minister teaching a group, presumably children, about the bible. The open bible looms large behind them, establishing the importance of the written word in British and American culture. This image is an interesting example of how religious institutions, such as the church, create the social norms through such things as education. We can find out more about the relationship between British and American social norms and institutions by looking through church records and other historical documents. The sketch is just the first step toward understanding the social conditions of art.