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Cartoon, Horrible Incident in Real Life
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Cartoon, Horrible Incident in Real Life
The master of a household visits the kitchen to get a little supper after the servants have gone, only to find it crawling with cockroaches.
1852
Mary Evans Picture Library makes available wonderful images created for people to enjoy over the centuries
Media ID 23369088
© Mary Evans Picture Library
1852 Cockroach Crawling Creepy Dirty Gentleman Horrible Household Hygiene Incident Kitchen Kitchens Mar20 Master Punch Real Vermin Cockroaches Overrun Unhygienic
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A Horrible Incident in Real Life: The Uninvited Guests in the Victorian Kitchen, 1852 This chilling 19th-century cartoon by an unknown artist, published by Mary Evans Picture Library, portrays a startling and unsanitary scene in a Victorian household. The image captures the moment of discovery when the master of the house, dressed in formal attire, enters the kitchen after the servants have retired for the night. To his horror, he finds the room overrun with cockroaches, crawling on the countertops, walls, and even swarming around the food supplies. The Victorian era was known for its strict adherence to social norms and etiquette, with a strong emphasis on maintaining a clean and orderly household. This cartoon serves as a stark reminder of the harsh realities of life, even for those who could afford servants and luxuries. The presence of cockroaches, considered vermin and symbols of filth, would have been a source of embarrassment and disgrace for the household. The man's shocked expression and the chaotic scene around him convey the sense of unease and disgust that such an encounter would evoke. The dimly lit kitchen, with its dirty utensils and cluttered counters, further emphasizes the neglect and unhygienic conditions that allowed the infestation to thrive. This cartoon, published in 1852, is a reminder of the importance of maintaining cleanliness and hygiene, even in the most private and seemingly mundane spaces of our homes. It also highlights the contrast between the idealized image of Victorian life and the often grim realities that lay beneath the surface.
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