Family PicturesThe collection of both paintings and photographs represent Ida and Mamie's deep connection to family and genealogy. The series of portraits is of Ida Caldwell McFaddin’s relatives from West Virginia and of the grown McFaddin children, at the bottom of the arrangement.
The organization of the photos represents a separate sphere ideology prominent in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, defined as the belief that women and men were different and meant for different things in society and the family. Many believed men belonged in the public sphere, working in politics or at jobs outside of the home. While women were believed better suited for domestic responsibilities in the private sphere. Eventually, the private sphere extended to include social issues connected to what was thought of as extensions of the home. Wealthy women were encouraged to support aid societies benefiting children, the arts, or their religious organizations.
This doctrine was mainly lived out by those with economic means. However, it was influential across all social classes.
Ida, positioned at the top and center, demonstrates her role as matriarch of the family who lived in the home. She was the center of family life and often considered a stabilizing force.
General Audience Tour
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