Rack Picture for Dr. Nones 1879

William A. Mitchell painted "Rack Picture for Dr. Nones" in 1877, capturing an illusionistic arrangement of letters, cards, and ephemera against a wooden surface. During the late 19th century, as the United States grappled with industrialization and urbanization, the rise of the postal service facilitated unprecedented levels of communication. Mitchell’s painting uses this symbol of connection to ask us to consider the personal and social dimensions of communication. Centered around the correspondence addressed to Dr. S. S. Nones, we see a glimpse into the social and professional circles of the recipient. The inclusion of theater tickets suggests cultural engagements. Mitchell also highlights class distinctions through the act of letter writing. In an era where literacy and leisure time were not universally accessible, this type of personal correspondence could be a marker of education and social standing. The artist prompts us to meditate on what these fragments convey about the lives and relationships of people during a transformative period in American history.