The Hand that Rocked the Cradle by Sue Laurence

The Hand that Rocked the Cradle by Sue Laurence

This book offers a fresh perspective on the history of birth and infancy by showing a rich array of images and objects ranging from paintings, prints, sculpture, metalwork, jewellery, textiles, ceramics, furniture and woodwork from both the fine and decorative arts, and medical and social history collections. Western European art has a strong tradition in representing birth and infancy, and many objects relating to this subject have survived, in collections such as the Wellcome in London and other museums and galleries across the world. The long chronological scope (1300-1900) provides insight to the enduring nature of many traditions and heirlooms relating to childhood and infancy. Moreover, by tracing the subject back to the medieval period it challenges the notion that so many of these practices were of more recent origin. The book is divided into an introduction followed by seven chapters with integrated fully captioned illustrations. The main subjects covered are: Beliefs and Customs; Childbirth; Lying-in, Rites of passage, ceremony and rituals; Milestones; The cult of breastfeeding; Accidents, abuse, fatalities and abandonment.

Sue Laurence was formerly Head of Interpretation at the National Archives; before that she was a curator at the Florence Nightingale Museum and spent ten years first as Deputy Head and then as Head of the V&A Museum of Childhood, where she created many innovative exhibitions as well as securing significant acquisitions. Sue has written for a number of journals, lectured on a broad range of curatorial subjects and made media appearances.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781911604556
ISBN 10	1911604554
Title	The Hand that Rocked the Cradle
Author	Sue Laurence
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Unicorn Publishing Group
Year published	2018-10-15
Number of pages	192
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.