Life of a Wet-Nurse

While all of the “Art Talks” that I was fortunate to hear were extremely interesting and informative, I was particularly struck by Megan and Mia’s presentation on The Wet-Nurse.  I have to admit that I had never heard of the profession prior to the presentation, and I took longer than I would like to admit to piece together exactly what the position entailed.  However, as Megan and Mia explained the context during which the sculpture was made and the system through which wet-nurses such as the one depicted would have been able to earn their living.   I had no idea that there was such a disinclination to breastfeed during that time among the wealthy class in order to preserve their features and social lives, despite the encouragement of doctors at the time to nurse the children themselves.  Additionally, though I knew that infant mortality was prevalent and seen as more natural of an event than we do in our society, I did not expect to hear how little people thought of it, being that in recent history it has been regarded as tragic.

            Further, I was even more surprised by what the wet-nurses themselves had to do to earn their livings.  Being that the nurse was able to nurse children, she must have had a baby and breastfed shortly before beginning her work and therefore most likely either left her own small child to work or has to take care of him while nursing the child of the wealthy family.  Also, I wondered how a family, aware that their newborn had syphilis, could send their child away knowing that he would transmit the disease to the poor young woman.  Overall, I thought this was an appalling system, and although it helped poor women in the countryside earn for their family, it seems like such sad work when being taken away from one’s own family to submit her body to what other women choose to pay to avoid.