The Boston Sunday Herald 1895

496

Ethel Reed’s use of lithography in her posters during the 1890s allowed her to craft bold and visually influential images that advanced feminist ideals by portraying women as strong, intellectual figures rather than passive objects. Her posters for The Boston Sunday Herald, 1895, featured women as central, empowered subjects engaged in cultural and intellectual pursuits. By using lithography, a mass-production technique, Reed’s work reached a larger audience, positioning women as active participants in public life and cultural discourse. Her posters reflected the “New Woman” ideal, a term used to describe the increasing number of women rejecting traditional gender roles in favor of education, career, and independence. These works subtly subverted traditional gender roles and promoted women’s agency, contributing to the feminist conversations of her time.

The Boston Sunday Herald, February 24, 1895
The Boston Sunday Herald, February 24, 1895