100936 | GERMANY. Feminine Virtue silver Medal.

100936 | GERMANY. Feminine Virtue silver Medal. Issued circa late 18th/early 19th century (38mm, 18.41 g, 12h). Possibly after C. Sucro.

 

SCHWEIG STIL ZV HAVSE BLEIB (Peace will be had at home...), snail (representing tranquility) advancing left; flower below / MIT FLEIS DEIN ARBEIT TREIB (...with attention to one's domestic chores), three beehives, with bees (representing industriousness) swarming around. Edge: Plain.

 

GPH –. Choice Very Fine. Lightly toned, with some darker hues near the peripheries; some central brilliance, though a number of marks are noted, as well as some light scratches around the snail. A highly interesting and very rare topical medal relating to domesticity.

 

A rather stark reminder of the patriarchal society in which it was produced, this medal conveys the feminine virtue that is subservience and domesticity. Mainly, that a wife should remain industrious around the home with her chores in order to ensure domestic bliss and tranquility within the household. It would be nice to believe that we have progressed beyond this archaic establishment of gender roles and of the patriarchy, but one need not look far to see the inequalities that still exist in this area—as well as many others.

 

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