The Mirror 1883

William Merritt Chase, an American artist of the late 19th and early 20th century, created this oil painting. The woman gazing into the mirror raises intriguing questions about the social context of art at the time. Chase was a prominent figure in the art world, teaching at institutions like the Art Students League of New York, shaping the next generation of artists. His work often reflected the changing roles of women in society, with a focus on the leisure and domestic life of upper-middle-class women. The woman here is well dressed and self-possessed, holding what looks like an opera glass. In this period in America, the industrial revolution created a new class of wealthy individuals, who expressed their status by consuming luxury goods and art. We can use social history to better understand the cultural values of this period. Researching the role of women and how they were represented in art and popular culture can give us a richer interpretation of the image. We can interpret what these kinds of artworks did to either challenge or reinforce existing social norms.