One example of the Macchiaioli focus on common people and contemporary scenes is the painting called The Illiterate Woman by Odoardo Borrani and created in 1869. In this vertically oriented painting, there are two women in an interior. One of them stands in the foreground of the painting while the other is sitting at a table and seems to be writing something. The difference between these women is the key component of the story told in this painting. In particular, one of the women cannot read or write and seems to dictate some letter to the other woman who can perform these actions and writes a letter on behalf of the illiterate woman. This idea of the painting is also emphasized by the English name used for the painting – The Illiterate or Woman Writing a Letter for Her Maid. The painter does not depict any dramatic historical events but concentrates on a private moment of life of people.This painting may be viewed against the backdrop of other paintings by Macchiaioli, who were interested in showing the portrayal of women of different social standings and their occupation and leisure activities. This painting is particularly important since literacy becomes an indicator of the class difference in this context. The interaction between the two women implies how education would affect one’s communication skills. In the meantime, the situation is not viewed as one in which the illiterate woman has no voice at all and has no possibility of expressing herself, for she dictates what she wants to say and the literate woman becomes the instrument with which she expresses herself. The painting was displayed during the exhibition of I Macchiaioli: Prima dell'impressionismo under catalogue no. 86. Borrani's decision to use this everyday situation as the subject matter of his painting fits in with the overall approach of the Macchiaioli group towards artistic subjects.
The Illiterate Woman (1869) by Odoardo Borrani is not a dramatic event from history or religion, but a typical scene from everyday life. The painting depicts two women, one holding a writing brush and a sheet of paper and the other holding a book, suggesting a discrepancy between their reading and writing skills and their social and educational backgrounds. The illiterate woman speaks into the lap of the other woman, who writes the letter, in a quiet interaction, which mirrors the reality of the nineteenth century.
The painting can be interpreted as a commentary on literacy, education, gender and social class. The two women can't read or write and this implies the relationship between access to education and social status. Borrani doesn't represent the illiterate woman as utterly helpless, however. She may not be able to write the letter, but she still has the power to think what she wants to think and the power to write her thoughts. The literate woman becomes a conduit by which her voice can be heard. This establishes a curious interplay among dependence and agency.
The context of the home is also a factor in the Macchiaioli interest in representing contemporary life and the common people. Borrani does not idealise the women or put them in a heroic narrative, but rather depicts a realistic situation which could have unfolded in everyday life. The figures are depicted in a more restrained manner, allowing for a natural interaction between them, creating a more personal and observational scene.
The picture is thus more than just a woman's dictation of a letter. It emphasises the importance of education in shaping the way people relate with others and interact in their societies, as well as the fact that people can be dumb without lacking intelligence, opinions or personal agency. Borrani uses this everyday interaction to highlight the social hierarchy and the disparities in education, yet he has a compassionate and realistic depiction of commonplace female characters.
In general, The Illiterate Woman may be interpreted as an example of the Macchiaioli's love of realism in the ordinary. The significance of its simplicity is precisely that, an ordinary act of writing becomes an exploration of larger issues of class, education, gender and the ability to have one's voice heard.
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By: Lemuela Mary J
The painting presents a quiet scene of two women in the company of each other. The reason for the company seems to be the distance between the ability of comprehension of written words. The lady on the chair is writing a letter which is probably being dictated by her maid. She might also be suggesting her what to write in the letter. The hands of the lady who is standing are held close to herself as if she is hesitant of reaching out for the ink and writing the letter for herself. On the contrary, the other woman seems to be free and confident. She has her head looking up with a sense of freedom that her ability to write provides her.
The paintings about a common life leaves us with plethora of space to explore and find answers to questions that might arise looking at the it; who is she writing the letter to? Does her illiteracy bother her? What does a day in her life might look like?
The painting tells a million stories to the millions of eyes beholding it.
