The Joys of Reading Together

Reading Couple (1877) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) www.wikiart.org

Reading Aloud

A very pleasant habit for home life is that of reading aloud some pleasant book in the evenings, and if the selection of the book is wise it certainly makes the home circle very attractive, and lightens the drudgery of the mother, who often sits after tea with her basket of stockings to be darned and who has a dreary time if each member of the family, who does not go out, takes his or her paper or book, as I have often seen, and subsides into their own interesting reading, leaving her to her own meditations. A book read aloud at home gets a charm, apart from itself sometimes; its very name will conjure up in our memories scenes in the far past— the pleasant family circle, then, perhaps, unbroken, the cheerful fireside, and frequently, too, the comments upon what is being read which add to the interest, and give a newer insight. The same association applies to a piece of work which is in operation while any book is being read.

--Ladies Fancy Work,  Edited by Jenny June, 1886

Mrs. Cassatt Reading to Her Grandchildren (1880) by Mary Cassatt (1824-1926)   www.wikiart.org

Times change, technology changes, but people don't change very much. In the 19th and 20th centuries, people often became isolated in their own reading or needlework, instead of interacting with each other. The unhappy looking couple below, riding on a train, appear to be pretending to read to avoid interacting with each other. The man holds his newspaper upside down, and the porter, standing behind them, his hand over his mouth, laughing at the absurdity.

Unhappy Couple On Train (1905) Photo by George R. Lawrence Co. (Courtesy of Library of Congress)

Today, we have more distractions--television, computers, tablets, smartphones, gaming systems. Couples, families, and groups of friends spend much of their time in the same room, but at a distance. Often people will find themselves sitting across the table from each other texting messages instead of talking. While quiet time alone is still important, and keeping up with social media has become essential in our world, it's important not to forget to share special times with the people in our lives, and to be present in the moment. 


 

Postcard (1906) Courtesy of tuckdb.org (link)

Reading aloud together is a different way to experience a book, and is enjoyable for adults, as well as children. It can spark conversation, and give new perspectives and ideas. Reading aloud also creates vivid memories--not just of the story that is being read, but of a cozy, pleasant, unique place and time, and of the people who were present there, in that moment, with us. Reading separately, but in the same space, can also be an experience of togetherness, and a respite from the noisy and hectic world we live in.

Painting by Theodore Gerard (1824-1895)

From a Photo by Gertrude Kasebier (Circa 1900) (Courtesy of Library of Congress)

Postcard (1901) Courtesy of tuckdb.org (link)

Postcard (1912) Courtesy of tuckdb.org (link)

Postcard (1912) Courtesy of tuckdb.org (link)

Postcard (1905) Courtesy of tuckdb.org (link)

Postcard (1906) Courtesy of tuckdb.org (link)

The Better Half by Leo D. Weil (1896) (Courtesy of Library of Congress)

Postcard (1916) Courtesy of tuckdb.org (link)

Night--Artists' Impressions

Sanbashi Bridge in Fukugawa at Night by Unknown Artist (Japanese) (Created between 1900 and 1920) (Image Courtesy of Library of Congress)

Today I am showcasing works of art from around the world, created in the 19th and 20th Centuries that feature outdoor night scenes. Some are in natural settings, lit only by the moon, while others show city scenes, lit by gas or electric streetlamps. Each image captures a unique and intriguing view of the world at night, as experienced by the artist.

Darial Gorge-Moon Night by Ivan Aivazovsky (Russian/Ukranian/Armenian) (1868) (Courtesy of wikiart.org) (link)

Lunar Night on Capri by Ivan Aivazovsky (Russian/Ukranian/Armenian) (1841) (Courtesy of wikiart.org) (link)

Moonlit Night on the Bosphorus by Ivan Aivazovsky (Russian/Ukranian/Armenian) (1894) (Courtesy of wikiart.org) (link)

Night View of Saruwaka-machi by Hiroshige Ando (Japanese) (1856) (Courtesy of Library of Congress)

 Night View of Matsuchiyama and San'ya Canal by Hiroshige Ando (Japanese) (1857) (Courtesy of Library of Congress)

July Night by Childe Hassam (American) (1898) (Courtesy of wikiart.org) (link)

Cab Stand At Night, Madison Square, New York by Childe Hassam (American) (1891) (Courtesy of wikiart.org) (link)

Silvery Moonlight by John Atkinson Grimshaw (British) (19th Cent.) (Courtesy of wikiart.org) (link)

View of Heath Street By Night by John Atkinson Grimshaw (British) (19th Cent.) (Courtesy of wikiart.org) (link)

Moon Night by Konstantin Korovin (Russian) (19th/20th Cent.) (Courtesy of wikiart.org) (link)

Night by Arkhip Kuindzhi (Russian/Ukranian/Greek) (1908) (Courtesy of wikiart.org) (link)

Night Snow Scene At Motonoyanagi Bridge by Utagawa Kunisada (Japanese) (1825)
(Courtesy of wikiart.org) (link)

Night by Mikalojus Ciurlionis (Lithuanian) (1904) (Courtesy of wikiart.org) (link)

Summer Night (Inger On the Shore) by Edvard Munch (Norwegian) (1889) (Courtesy of wikiart.org) (link)

Hotel Knickerbocker, Night Scene (New York) by Joseph Pennell (American) (Created between 1904 and 1908) (Courtesy of Library of Congress)

Searchlights Over Charing Cross, London by Joseph Pennell (American) (1914) (Courtesy of Library of Congress)

The Boulevard Montmartre At Night by Camille Pissarro (French) (1897) (Courtesy of wikiart.org) (link)

Easter Eve by John French Sloan (American) (1907) (Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons) (link)

Cafe Terrace, Place du Forum, Arles by Vincent Van Gogh (Dutch) (1888)  (Courtesy of wikiart.org) (link)

The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh (Dutch) (1888)  (Courtesy of wikiart.org) (link)

The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh (Dutch) (1889)  (Courtesy of wikiart.org) (link)

 

Fine Millinery--Fall and Winter Hats 1899-1900

Today I am featuring the Fine Millinery Fall and Winter Catalogue from H. O'Neill & Co. in New York. Elaborate hats were fashionable for ladies at the turn of the last century, and featured ornate trimmings including bows, feathers and even actual birds. This catalogue includes beautiful color illustrations of the finished hats that were for sale. There are also black and white illustrations of untrimmed hats that could be purchased there. These plain hats are interesting because they show the basic shapes that were in style at the time. The illustration above features two well-dressed women shoppers, and offers a glimpse inside what appears to have been a very elegant department store.