Caretaker of a collection
The case of Jo van Bilderbeek-Lamaison
In: Netherlands Yearbook for History of Art / Nederlands Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek OnlineSearch for other papers by Bert-Jaap Koops in
Current site
Google Scholar
Abstract
When re-assessing women’s roles in the art world, we should not neglect traditional, perhaps stereotypical, functions. Jo van Bilderbeek-Lamaison (1849–1951) exemplifies the importance of caretaking: after her husband’s death in 1918, she played a crucial role in caring for their art collection and bequeathing it to the state. She lived in a Dordrecht house museum (the Rijksmuseum Van Bilderbeek-Lamaison, not publicly accessible), carefully exercising her responsibility ‘in her husband’s spirit’ in house maintenance, loans of artworks, and art preservation – a challenge given the fuel crisis in the 1930s and 1940s.
This case study sheds light on women’s role in the art world around 1900 from the perspective of separate public/private spheres and the associated distinction between productive labour and reproductive/caring labour. The case suggests that caring labour is not be limited to care for people, but can include care for objects, such as an art collection in a house museum.
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| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 417 | 70 | 4 |
| Full Text Views | 153 | 83 | 7 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 394 | 145 | 9 |
Caretaker of a collection
The case of Jo van Bilderbeek-Lamaison
In: Netherlands Yearbook for History of Art / Nederlands Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek OnlineSearch for other papers by Bert-Jaap Koops in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
When re-assessing women’s roles in the art world, we should not neglect traditional, perhaps stereotypical, functions. Jo van Bilderbeek-Lamaison (1849–1951) exemplifies the importance of caretaking: after her husband’s death in 1918, she played a crucial role in caring for their art collection and bequeathing it to the state. She lived in a Dordrecht house museum (the Rijksmuseum Van Bilderbeek-Lamaison, not publicly accessible), carefully exercising her responsibility ‘in her husband’s spirit’ in house maintenance, loans of artworks, and art preservation – a challenge given the fuel crisis in the 1930s and 1940s.
This case study sheds light on women’s role in the art world around 1900 from the perspective of separate public/private spheres and the associated distinction between productive labour and reproductive/caring labour. The case suggests that caring labour is not be limited to care for people, but can include care for objects, such as an art collection in a house museum.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 417 | 70 | 4 |
| Full Text Views | 153 | 83 | 7 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 394 | 145 | 9 |
