In 1913, Victorian Women Destroyed Artwork Deemed Oppressive As A Radical Act Of Protest Against Gender Inequality
During the Victorian era, a wave of feminist activism swept across Europe. Women challenged the status quo, demanding more rights and equal opportunities.
As part of this movement, some Victorian women turned to radical acts of protest, such as defacing artwork that could be deemed oppressive.
On April 3, 1913, three suffragettes—Annie Briggs, Evelyn Manesta, and Lillian Forrester—attacked several pieces displayed in the Manchester Art Gallery to fight for women’s right to vote. They smashed windows and destroyed the gallery’s most valuable pictures.
According to a news outlet that covered the incident at the time, an attendant heard the sound of glass breaking just before the gallery was about to close.
When he rushed toward the sound, along with another attendant, he saw three women making a mess of the artwork. They instructed the guard at the door to close off the entryway so the women wouldn’t be able to escape.
The women were then taken into custody and questioned by the police. Later, they appeared in court and were charged under the Malicious Damage Act.
The attack on the artwork was part of a series of protests across the country against the treatment of Mrs. Pankhurst. She was sentenced to three years in prison for urging unknown persons to burn down a building.
Other protests included the attack of 11 postboxes in Manchester with black liquid, which damaged 250 letters; the destruction of an empty train carriage; an explosion at a railway station; and arson of an unoccupied house.
The women’s trial took place on April 22. Annie Briggs was a 48-year-old housekeeper; Lillian Forrester was a 33-year-old wife; and Evelyn Manesta was a 25-year-old governess. They each gave speeches about the societal standards that were used to constrain women’s freedom.
denys_kuvaiev – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
In the end, Annie was acquitted, but Lillian and Evelyn were convicted. Lillian was sentenced to three months in jail, while Evelyn received a one-month sentence.
Another major art attack occurred on March 10, 1914, at the National Gallery. A former student of the fine arts, Mary Richardson, entered the museum with a butcher’s knife hidden up her sleeve.
She attacked the Rokeby Venus painted by Diego Velázquez. She was able to slash the oil painting about five times before she was restrained by authorities.
Richardson’s aim had been to demolish the picture of “the most beautiful woman in mythological history.” The painting depicted the back of a woman’s unclothed body. She was lying on a bed and had sensuous curves and smooth skin.
Richardson was against such portrayals of female figures in art. Her actions were done in protest of the treatment of Mrs. Pankhurst. Today, the painting has been fully restored. There is almost no trace of the slash marks.
While the art attacks were controversial, it was just one of the ways that women during the Victorian era sought to break down traditional gender roles. Targeting art was necessary because it was often used as a tool to uphold patriarchal values and ideals.
By ruining portraits and exhibitions, the women sent a powerful message about gender inequality and social justice.
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
More About:News