{"id":3913,"date":"2019-09-09T12:04:39","date_gmt":"2019-09-09T16:04:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/y90sclassroom.blog.ryerson.ca\/?p=3913"},"modified":"2022-03-01T14:35:53","modified_gmt":"2022-03-01T14:35:53","slug":"a-new-womans-venture-linking-a-little-magazine-to-the-suffrage-atelier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/2019\/09\/09\/a-new-womans-venture-linking-a-little-magazine-to-the-suffrage-atelier\/","title":{"rendered":"A New Woman\u2019s Venture: Linking a Little Magazine to the Suffrage Atelier"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a9 Emma Fraschetti, Ryerson University 2019.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4005\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4005\" style=\"width: 180px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4005\" src=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/VentureVolume1_cover_a.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"180\" height=\"237\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4005\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Venture Front Cover, 1903. The Yellow Nineties 2.0, Ryerson University, 2019. Public Domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left\">Introduction<\/h2>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/1890s.ca\/venture-volumes\/\">The Venture: An Annual of Art and Literature<\/a>, <\/em>a little magazine<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>edited by Somerset Maugham and Laurence Housman, was published in 1903 by John Baillie in London and in 1905 by The Arden Press in Leamington. The magazine made its debut at a time when new sociopolitical ideas about femininity began to pervade Victorian literature and public discourse. Although <em>The Venture&#8217;s<\/em> co-editors were both men, Maugham was an avid supporter of women\u2019s suffrage and Housman was notable for his activism; acting as a central figure in the Men\u2019s League for Women\u2019s Suffrage established in 1907.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Venture<\/em><span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>presented Maugham and Housman with the opportunity to take advanatge of their authority as editors and participate in broader social and political affairs. Expressed throughout the magazine is a special representation and commitment to feminism; <em>The Venture<\/em>\u2019s literary and art contents examine the varying experiences of modern women in Victorian society, and as a whole, the magazine works to promote the achievements and contributions of &#8220;New Women.&#8221; The curation of feminist work in<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><em>The Venture<\/em><span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>is unlikely a coincidence, and it would be a grave loss to dismiss it as such. This analysis aims to demonstrate how William Somerset Maugham and Laurence Housman edited <em>The Venture<\/em> with a primarily feminist agenda in order to promote women\u2019s suffrage and inspire curiosity, individuality, and activism in Victorian women.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>The Editors<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3997\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3997\" style=\"width: 205px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-3997\" src=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Maugham.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"205\" height=\"259\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Maugham.jpg 1004w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Maugham-238x300.jpg 238w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Maugham-811x1024.jpg 811w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Maugham-768x970.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3997\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Portrait of William Somerset Maugham. Wikimedia Commons, 2019. Public Domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965)<\/h3>\n<p>William Somerset Maugham was born in Paris in 1874. He pursued education at the King\u2019s School, Canterbury, Heidelberg University, and St. Thomas\u2019 Hospital Medical school, but never practised as a doctor (Holden). Maugham&#8217;s experiences working in the slums of Lambeth during his time in medical school inspired him to write <em>Liza of Lambeth <\/em>(1897), which brought him some success and motivated him to consider a career in literature. Maugham achieved fame in 1907 with his first play, <em>Lady Frederik, <\/em>and within the next year had four plays running in London (Holden). In the following decades, Maugham wrote a number of successful novels, plays, and short stories. His best-known novel, <em>Of Human Bondage <\/em>(1915) was considered a bildungsroman as conveyed by protagonist Philip Carey, whose life drew upon Maugham\u2019s adolescent experiences and attitudes regarding sexuality (Cordell 69). Although Maugham was married from 1917 to 1929, he primarily pursued homosexual relationships (Cordell 18). Maugham was not an activist, but he was a supporter of equal rights and women&#8217;s suffrage.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3396\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3396\" style=\"width: 205px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-3396\" src=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/Laurence_Housman.jpg\" alt=\"A black and white half-length photographic portrait of Laurence Housman, turned to the right with his arms crossed.\" width=\"205\" height=\"286\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/Laurence_Housman.jpg 719w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/Laurence_Housman-216x300.jpg 216w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3396\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photograph of Laurence Housman, 1915, Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Laurence Housman (1865-1959)<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/1890s.ca\/housman_bio\/\">Laurence Housman<\/a> was born in 1865 in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, and raised in a household which fostered creative expression. Out of his six siblings, Housman was the closest to his sister Clemence, whom he lived and worked closely within the arts for the majority of his adult life. Housman received his education at the Bromsgrove Art School, in London at the Miller\u2019s Lane Art school, and at the National Art Training School in South Lambeth (Kooistra). A notable turning point in Housman\u2019s artistic career was meeting <a href=\"https:\/\/1890s.ca\/ricketts_bio\/\">Charles Ricketts<\/a> in 1890. Ricketts encouraged Housman to shift his creative work away from the style of the Pre-Raphaelites and venture into detailed pen-based art (Kooistra). Following Ricketts&#8217; direction, Housman achieved much success in his work. He was the first to design Christina Rossetti&#8217;s <em>Goblin Market <\/em>as an independent volume\u00a0in 1893, which was recognized by the <a href=\"https:\/\/1890s.ca\/leighton_bio\/\">President of the Royal Academy<\/a> who later established his connection with <a href=\"https:\/\/1890s.ca\/beardsley_bio\/\">Aubrey Beardsley<\/a>, art editor of <em>The Yellow Book<\/em> (Kooistra). As a result, Housman succeeded in contributing his art and literature to multiple influential fin-de-si\u00e8cle magazines such as <em><a href=\"https:\/\/1890s.ca\/yellow-book-volumes\/\">The Yellow Book<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/1890s.ca\/pageant_volumes\/\">The Pageant<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>and<em><a href=\"https:\/\/1890s.ca\/dial-volumes\/\"> The Dial<\/a>. <\/em>In addition to his craft, Housman was an activist. As a homosexual man and a supporter of feminism, Housman promoted equal rights, social justice, and women\u2019s suffrage. He was integral in the establishment of the Men\u2019s League for Women\u2019s Suffrage (1907), an active member of the Men\u2019s Social and Political Union (1918), and a co-founder of the Suffrage Atelier (1909) with his sister Clemence (Kooistra).<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>The Beginnings of Women&#8217;s Suffrage<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4006\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4006\" style=\"width: 171px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4006\" src=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/580px-Annie_Kenney_and_Christabel_Pankhurst.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"171\" height=\"257\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/580px-Annie_Kenney_and_Christabel_Pankhurst.jpg 580w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/580px-Annie_Kenney_and_Christabel_Pankhurst-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 171px) 100vw, 171px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4006\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Annie Kenney, Christabel Pankhurst, 1908. Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>To understand the significance of <em>The Venture <\/em>to the women\u2019s movement in Victorian England, the state of suffrage during this time must first be considered. Women\u2019s suffrage became a prominent social and political issue in the mid 19<sup>th<\/sup> century. The campaign for Victorian women\u2019s suffrage, which began in 1866, aimed to restructure traditional gender norms in order to end female oppression and achieve equal citizenship (Smith 7). Suffragists protested for the elimination of restrictions on women\u2019s education, employment, pay scales, and legal authority (Smith 3). In addition to active protest, the campaign encouraged feminine solidarity and pride by promoting the achievements of modern women.<\/p>\n<p>A notable moment in the women\u2019s movement was the publication of Sarah Grand\u2019s essay, \u201cThe New Aspect of the Woman Question\u201d in 1894, which refined and popularized the definition of the \u201cNew Woman.\u201d Unlike the traditional Victorian woman, the New Woman was self-reliant, strong-willed, and achieved satisfaction through exercising her agency (Ledger and Luckhurst 80). Most importantly, the New Woman had ambitions beyond domesticity; she was considered enlightened because she was able to acknowledge the restrictive aspects of the \u201cHome-is-the-Woman\u2019s-Sphere\u201d and seek fulfilment beyond it (Ledger and Luckhurst 89). In redefining the New Woman, Grand significantly revised the public&#8217;s perspective on conventional gender roles.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the establishment of strong female archetypes, the formation of powerful suffrage societies aided the advancement of the women\u2019s movement. The National Central Society for Women\u2019s Suffrage and the Central Committee of the National Society for Women\u2019s Suffrage merged to form The National Union of Women\u2019s Suffrage Societies in 1897. Led by Millicent Fawcett, the NUWSS coordinated activism in the political sphere, acting as a liaison between suffrage communities and English Parliament (Smith 16). Also, The Women\u2019s Social and Political Union, a \u201cwomen\u2019s-only\u201d organization, was established in October 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst (Smith 28). Although it was not originally a militant organization, the WSPU grew forceful and aggressive in their approach to suffrage which earned members the title of \u201csuffragettes\u201d (Smith 31). The WSPU advocated for women&#8217;s right to vote and drew support for working-class women from trade-union organizations in England.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4020\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4020\" style=\"width: 3543px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4020 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Brodsheet.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"3543\" height=\"2519\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4020\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Suffrage Atelier &#8220;Broadsheet,&#8221; 1913. Wikimedia Commons, 2019. Public Domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3>Periodicals and Public Discourse<\/h3>\n<p>Although the role of the feminist periodical is less direct, it is still crucial to examine in the analysis of <em>The Venture\u00a0<\/em>as a means of influencing social development. The feminist and suffrage periodicals of the late 19<sup>th <\/sup>and early 20<sup>th <\/sup>century exemplify the relationship between art, literature, and the dominant ideologies of the public. Women\u2019s periodicals which expressed Victorian society\u2019s shifting ideas on feminism, human rights, and social justice not only functioned in and of themselves as activists taking part in an important public debate, but they inspired readers to examine their own lives in relation to them. Within the suffrage movement, feminist periodicals offered a foundation for inspiring independent identity formation in female readers and mobilizing collective action (DiCenzo 73). For example, the\u00a0<em>English Women\u2019s Journal, <\/em>the first feminist monthly magazine in England was published in 1858 and <em>Atalanta,\u00a0<\/em>another \u201cgirl\u2019s periodical,\u201d began its run in 1887. Both periodicals featured writings of fiction, poetry, essay, and commentary which encouraged female activism for women&#8217;s suffrage (DiCenzo 86). Although many feminist periodicals were not widely successful among the general public and did not have very long print runs, their significance to the women\u2019s movement has not been undermined.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>A New Woman&#8217;s Venture<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4017\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4017\" style=\"width: 271px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4017\" src=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-09-25-at-10.08.46-AM.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"271\" height=\"320\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-09-25-at-10.08.46-AM.png 760w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-09-25-at-10.08.46-AM-254x300.png 254w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 271px) 100vw, 271px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4017\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Violet Hunt. &#8220;The Gem and Its Setting.&#8221; The Venture, 1903. Yellow Nineties 2.0, Ryerson University, 2019. Public Domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Literary Contents<\/h3>\n<p>The examination of modern femininity and the New Woman is continual throughout <em>The Venture<\/em>. For example, \u201cThe Gem and Its Setting,\u201d a play written by Violet Hunt featured in volume I, examines the harsh prejudice that New Women were subjected to for challenging the traditional standards of appropriate behaviour for women. The play is set in a small drawing room occupied by two women: Eve Grieve and May Day. Mrs. Grieve is ridiculed by May Day for accepting exceptionally expensive gifts from her dedicated admirer, James Knight or \u201cJimmy,\u201d whom she has no intention of developing a relationship with. May ruthlessly scolds Mrs. Grieve for dressing herself in the precious gems given to her with love by Jimmy, even though it is clear that he leaves her \u201cabsolutely cold\u201d (Hunt 117). Although Mrs. Grieve clarifies that she has never \u201cencouraged\u201d Jimmy \u201cby any look or sigh\u201d (Hunt 118), and has many times expressed her disinterest in a romantic relationship with him, May continues her attempt to evoke shame in Mrs. Grieve. May ultimately argues that even if Mrs. Grieve does not love Jimmy, it is wrong to refuse him romantically because \u201che comes with his hands full\u201d (Hunt 120). Throughout this dialogue, Hunt exposes the flaws in the notion that it is unacceptable for a woman to refuse the requests of a man who acts generously towards her. Moreover, she gives a truthful account of the discrimination which modern women endured for acting in their own best interest and for making decisions which opposed traditional standards of behaviour for Victorian women.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to \u201cThe Gem and Its Setting,\u201d other works in volume I such as \u201cPoor Little Mrs. Villiers\u201d and \u201cMarriages are Made in Heaven\u201d juxtapose modern women with patriarchal environments. \u201cPoor Little Mrs. Villers\u201d by <a href=\"https:\/\/1890s.ca\/syrett_bio\/\">Netta Syrett<\/a> is a short story about a recently divorced, well-mannered young woman named Mrs. Villiers who falls in love with another resident of the pension where she is boarding. The other female residents hold contrasting opinions on Mrs. Villiers and her divorce; some with ill intentions argue that divorce is \u201cnot respectable,\u201d while others propose that divorce can be a good thing in the appropriate circumstance. Similarly, \u201cMarriages are Made in Heaven\u201d by W. Somerset Maugham is a play in which a divorced young woman is discouraged from remarrying by a close friend who fears that her dishonourable past will tarnish the reputation of her fianc\u00e9 if he were to marry her. In these works, and throughout many of the literary contents in <em>The Venture<\/em>, the consequential injustice, discrimination, and prejudice associated with modern femininity are exposed.<\/p>\n<p>The literary contributions to <em>The Venture<\/em>\u00a0depict the positive experiences of modern women as well. \u201cThe Last Journey\u201d by Netta Syrett is a short-story featured in volume II about an Englishwoman named Cecilia who boards an omnibus alone near Piccadilly Circus and rides late into the night through the city of London. She fantasizes about the lights, colours, and sounds of her environment; perceiving the magical aspects in figures such as lampposts and shadows. She seems to be satisfied in a way that she has not been in the past, as she rhetorically questions, \u201cam I seeing it better this evening?\u201d (Syrett 42) It is evident that Cecilia is incredibly excited to be able to exercise her curiosity, imagination, and independence. By exemplifying the experience of a woman who has achieved happiness by rightfully indulging in her own agency and desire, Syrett promotes the New Woman.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4012\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4012\" style=\"width: 271px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4012\" src=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Autumn-Leaves.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"271\" height=\"292\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Autumn-Leaves.jpeg 2061w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Autumn-Leaves-279x300.jpeg 279w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Autumn-Leaves-951x1024.jpeg 951w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Autumn-Leaves-768x827.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Autumn-Leaves-1427x1536.jpeg 1427w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Autumn-Leaves-1902x2048.jpeg 1902w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 271px) 100vw, 271px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4012\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pamela Colman Smith. &#8220;Autumn Leaves.&#8221; The Venture, 1905. Ryerson University Archives and Special Collections. Public Domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Art Contents<\/h3>\n<p>The art contents in<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><em>The Venture\u00a0<\/em>further emphasize the ongoing sponsorship and celebration of modern femininity and the New Woman. Significant contributions to volume I include \u201cDaphne and Apollo,\u201d \u201cThe Death of Pan,\u201d and \u201cThe Blue Moon.\u201d \u201cDaphne and Apollo,\u201d engraved by Elinor Monsell, pays tribute to the Greek myth in which Daphne, a naiad nymph, is sexually pursued against her will as a result of her extreme beauty by Apollo, the God of light. \u201cThe Death of Pan\u201d was engraved by Louise Glazier, an independent illustrator, wood engraver, and bookplate designer whose works were featured in numerous galleries, and in addition to <em>The Venture<\/em><i>, <\/i>in a periodical entitled <em>The Dome<\/em> in 1900 (British Museum). \u201cThe Blue Moon\u201d was engraved by avid activist and co-founder of the Suffrage Atelier, Clemence Housman. Not only are these works important because they promote the achievements and values of female artists, they are also important because they mark the beginning of a creative-based approach to disseminating the ideologies of modern feminism.<\/p>\n<p>The celebration of the New Woman is especially relevant in the second volume of <em>The Venture. <\/em>The art contents in volume II<em>\u00a0<\/em>feature intimate reproductions and analyses of New Women, mostly contributed by New Women themselves. Works such as \u201cJoyce\u201d by Ann Macbeth, \u201cAutumn Leaves\u201d by Pamela Colman Smith, \u201cRose of all Roses\u201d by Constance Halford, and \u201cMother and Child\u201d by Winifred Caley Robinson emphasize the power of feminine independence by depicting women confidently and intimately. In addition, artworks contributed to volume II by men such as \u201cThe Bath of Venus\u201d by Charles Hazelwood Shannon and \u201cPortrait in Black and Gold\u201d by E. J. Sullivan lend a similar impression by depicting beauty, power, and grace in portraits of women. Collectively, these contributions encourage the solidarity of modern women by conveying a strong sense of pride in femininity.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>The Suffrage Atelier<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3998\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3998\" style=\"width: 665px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-3998\" src=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-09-23-at-8.32.28-PM.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"665\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-09-23-at-8.32.28-PM.png 1810w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-09-23-at-8.32.28-PM-300x193.png 300w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-09-23-at-8.32.28-PM-1024x657.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-09-23-at-8.32.28-PM-768x493.png 768w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-09-23-at-8.32.28-PM-1536x986.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3998\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Suffrage Atelier. &#8220;Suffragette Procession.&#8221; 1910. Museum of London Online. Public Domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Suffrage Atelier, which regarded itself as an arts and crafts society working for the enfranchisement of women, was established by Laurence and Clemence Housman in 1909 (Tickner 21). With the objective of forwarding the women\u2019s movement by disseminating art, the Atelier produced advertisements, banners, postcards, and decorations which promoted women\u2019s suffrage and the feminist ideologies surrounding it. Often, the arts and crafts were exhibited in galleries, published in the press, and sold for suffragist rallies and processions (Tickner 26). Unlike the members of the Artist\u2019s Suffrage League (1907-1918) who were professional artists, the Atelier\u2019s members were comprised of both professionals and amateurs. As a result, the Atelier also functioned an educational centre by providing artists with the opportunity to experiment and develop their technique with peers of various skill levels (Tickner 28). Moreover, women were able to form relationships with those who shared their passions and values, while engaging in important public debate through the expression of their craft. In and of itself, the Atelier was integral in the formation of women\u2019s identities as suffragists.<\/p>\n<h3>Ties to <em>The Venture<\/em><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4008\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4008\" style=\"width: 249px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4008\" src=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-09-23-at-9.26.18-PM.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"249\" height=\"367\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-09-23-at-9.26.18-PM.jpeg 662w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-09-23-at-9.26.18-PM-203x300.jpeg 203w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 249px) 100vw, 249px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4008\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">&#8220;The Blue Moon.&#8221; Illustrated by Laurence Housman and engraved by Clemence Housman. The Venture, 1903. The Yellow Nineties 2.0, Ryerson University, 2019. Public Domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The significance of the relationship between the Suffrage Atelier and <em>The Venture<\/em> is evident in the magazine&#8217;s artistic styles, contributors, and objectives. When comparing the art in <em>The Venture<\/em> to the art created and disseminated by the Suffrage Atelier, it is important to note the medium and style in which it was produced. Most of the Atelier\u2019s works were produced as block prints such as wood-cuts. They varied in size and were generally printed in hand-coloured black or white ink (Tickner 21). This production style is also true of the art contents in <em>The Venture\u2019s <\/em>first volume. Volume I contains fifteen wood-cuts, all of which were printed in black ink with the exception of the frontispiece, \u201cThe Dove-Cot\u201d by Charles Hazelwood Shannon, printed in green and yellow ink. A\u00a0wood-cut from the first volume of <em>The Venture <\/em>which is especially significant\u00a0to the Suffrage Atelier is \u201cThe Blue Moon,\u201d illustrated by Laurence Housman and engraved by Clemence Housman. The first use of the \u201cThe Blue Moon,\u201d title-page was in <em>The Venture<\/em> in 1903<em>. <\/em>Although the feature of \u201cThe Blue Moon\u201d in the magazine functioned as promotion for Laurence Housman\u2019s fairy tale, it further served to popularize the work of two incredibly influential activists, their achievements and their values.<\/p>\n<p>Ties to the Atelier are also evident in the contributors to <em>The Venture. <\/em>A number of New Women artists who are featured in the magazine are also affiliated with the Suffrage Atelier and the women\u2019s movement. Notably, <a href=\"https:\/\/1890s.ca\/smith_bio\/\">Pamela Colman Smith<\/a>, whose illustration \u201cAutumn Leaves\u201d is featured in volume II was a member of the Suffrage Atelier. In addition to her work as an independent artist, Smith was an activist for women&#8217;s suffrage. She contributed her stencil designs to <em>An Anti-Suffrage Alphabet,\u00a0<\/em>a book by Laurence Housman (1911), and designed multiple posters for the Atelier such as \u201cA Bird in the Hand\u201d (Tickner 34). Smith also edited and published her own magazine, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/1890s.ca\/green-sheaf-volumes\/\">The Green Sheaf <\/a><\/em>(1903-1904) for which advertisements were placed in the second volume of <em>The Venture.<\/em><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3995\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3995\" style=\"width: 163px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-3995\" src=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/A_BIRD_IN_THE_HAND_IS_WORTH_TWO_MOCKING-BIRDS_IN_THE_BUSH_upscaled_image_x4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"163\" height=\"262\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/A_BIRD_IN_THE_HAND_IS_WORTH_TWO_MOCKING-BIRDS_IN_THE_BUSH_upscaled_image_x4.jpg 996w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/A_BIRD_IN_THE_HAND_IS_WORTH_TWO_MOCKING-BIRDS_IN_THE_BUSH_upscaled_image_x4-187x300.jpg 187w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/A_BIRD_IN_THE_HAND_IS_WORTH_TWO_MOCKING-BIRDS_IN_THE_BUSH_upscaled_image_x4-637x1024.jpg 637w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/A_BIRD_IN_THE_HAND_IS_WORTH_TWO_MOCKING-BIRDS_IN_THE_BUSH_upscaled_image_x4-768x1234.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/A_BIRD_IN_THE_HAND_IS_WORTH_TWO_MOCKING-BIRDS_IN_THE_BUSH_upscaled_image_x4-956x1536.jpg 956w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 163px) 100vw, 163px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3995\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pamela Colman Smith. &#8220;A Bird in the Hand.&#8221; Poster designed for the Suffrage Atelier. Wikimedia Commons, 2018. Public Domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Most importantly, political ambitions and means of activism are shared by <em>The Venture<\/em> and the Suffrage Atelier. Similar to how <em>The Venture <\/em>sponsored the women\u2019s movement by promoting art and literature which celebrated the New Woman, modern femininity, and social justice, the Atelier worked wholeheartedly towards the enfranchisement of women by publishing feminist art. Considering these similarities between\u00a0<em>The Venture<\/em> and the Suffrage Atelier, and as well, noting that the first publication of <em>The Venture <\/em>preceded the Suffrage Atelier by only six years, it is likely that the magazine was deliberately edited with like intentions of inspiring female activism to those that were later involved in the establishment of the Atelier in 1909.\u00a0Furthermore, it is possible that the relationships established during the creation and production of <em>The Venture<\/em> influenced the beginning of the Suffrage Atelier\u2019s formation.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>By examining <em>The Venture <\/em>in relation to the Suffrage Atelier and women\u2019s suffrage in Victorian England, it is evident that the little magazine is historically and culturally significant because it lends insight into the direction of women\u2019s activism and artistic involvement in the late 19<sup>th <\/sup>and early 20<sup>th <\/sup>century. As Housman and Maugham sought social justice, equal rights, and the progression of the women\u2019s movement, it is clear that the contributions to <em>The Venture, <\/em>especially those which promote ideologies of the New Woman and modern femininity, were not arbitrarily curated. The magazine was deliberately published with a feminist agenda in order to engage the public in discourse about women\u2019s suffrage. Moreover, <em>The Venture\u00a0<\/em>is important because it created the environment and opportunity for women to participate in meaningful discussion about the social issues which directly impacted their livelihood. <em>The Venture <\/em>exists as a product of activism that intended to inspire it in and of itself.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>The New Women of\u00a0<em>The Venture<\/em><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4030\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4030\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4030\" src=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/VV1-Contents-Marked.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"410\" height=\"264\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4030\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Venture, 1903, literary and art contents. Women contributors are marked by a pink leaf from Pamela Colman Smith&#8217;s &#8220;Autumn Leaves.&#8221; Ryerson University Archives and Special Collections. Public Domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4032\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4032\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4032\" src=\"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/VV2-Contents-Marked2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"410\" height=\"266\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4032\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Venture, 1905, literary and art contents. Women contributors are marked by a pink leaf from Pamela Colman Smith&#8217;s &#8220;Autumn Leaves.&#8221; Ryerson University Archives and Special Collections. Public Domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\">Works Cited<\/h3>\n<p>Cordell, Richard. <em>Somerset Maugham: A Biographical and Critical Study. <\/em>William Heinemann Ltd, 1961.<\/p>\n<p>DiCenzo, Maria. <em>Feminist Media History: Suffrage, Periodicals, and the Public Sphere. <\/em>Palgrave Macmillan, 2011.<\/p>\n<p>Halford, Constance. \u201cRose of all Roses.\u201d <em>The Venture: An Annual of Art and Literature, <\/em>Volume 2, 1905, p. 140.<\/p>\n<p>Holden, Philip. &#8220;Maugham, W. Somerset.&#8221;\u00a0<em>The Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature<\/em>,\u00a02006.\u00a0<em>Oxford Reference,<\/em>\u00a0https:\/\/www.oxfordreference.com\/view\/10.1093\/acref\/9780195169218. 001.0001\/acref-9780195169218-e-0305.<\/p>\n<p>Housman, Laurence. \u201cThe Blue Moon.\u201d <em>The Venture: An Annual of Art and Literature,<\/em> Volume 1, 1903, p. 207. <em>Yellow Nineties 2.0<\/em>, edited by Lorraine Janzen Kooistra, Ryerson Centre for Digital Humanities, 2019. https:\/\/1890s.ca\/venture-volumes\/<\/p>\n<p>Hunt, Violet. \u201cThe Gem and Its Setting.\u201d <em>The Venture: An Annual of Art and Literature, <\/em>Volume 1, 1903, pp. 115-128. <em>Yellow Nineties 2.0<\/em>, edited by Lorraine Janzen Kooistra, Ryerson Centre for Digital Humanities, 2019. https:\/\/1890s.ca\/venture-volumes\/<\/p>\n<p>Kooistra, Lorraine Janzen. \u201cLaurence Housman (1865-1959),\u201d <em>Y90s Biographies<\/em>, edited by Dennis Denisoff, 2010. <em>Yellow Nineties 2.0<\/em>, General Editor Lorraine Janzen Kooistra, Ryerson University Centre for Digital Humanities, 2019, https:\/\/1890s.ca\/housman_bio\/.<\/p>\n<p>Ledger, Sally and R. Luckhurst. <em>The Fin de Si\u00e8cle: A Reader in Cultural History c.1880-1900. <\/em>Oxford University Press, 2000.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Louise M. Glazier: Biographical Details.&#8221;\u00a0<em>The British Museum.\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/www.britishmuseum.org\/research\/search_the_collection_database\/term_details.aspx?bioId=123401<\/p>\n<p>Macbeth, Ann. \u201cJoyce.\u201d <em>The Venture: An Annual of Art and Literature,<\/em> Volume 2,\u00a01905, p. 123.<\/p>\n<p>Maugham, Somerset W. \u201cMarriages are Made in Heaven.\u201d <em>The Venture: An Annual of Art and\u00a0<\/em><em>Literature,<\/em> Volume 1, 1903, pp. 209-230. <em>Yellow Nineties 2.0<\/em>, edited by Lorraine Janzen Kooistra, Ryerson Centre for Digital Humanities, 2019. https:\/\/1890s.ca\/venture-volumes\/<\/p>\n<p>Moore, Sturge T. \u201cPan and Psyche.\u201d <em>The Venture: An Annual of Art and Literature<\/em>, Volume 1, 1903, p. 29. <em>Yellow Nineties 2.0<\/em>, edited by Lorraine Janzen Kooistra, Ryerson Centre for Digital Humanities, 2019. https:\/\/1890s.ca\/venture-volumes\/<\/p>\n<p>Monsell, Elinor. \u201cDaphne and Apollo.\u201d<em> The Venture: An Annual of Art and Literature<\/em>, Volume 1, 1903, p. 159. <em>Yellow Nineties 2.0<\/em>, edited by Lorraine Janzen Kooistra, Ryerson Centre for Digital Humanities, 2019. https:\/\/1890s.ca\/venture-volumes\/<\/p>\n<p>Robinson Caley, Winifred. \u201cMother and Child.\u201d <em>The Venture: An Annual of Art and Literature, <\/em>Volume 2, 1905, p. 94. <em>Yellow Nineties 2.0<\/em>, edited by Lorraine Janzen Kooistra, Ryerson Centre for Digital Humanities, 2019. https:\/\/1890s.ca\/venture-volumes\/<\/p>\n<p>Shannon, C. H. \u201cThe Bath of Venus.\u201d <em>The Venture: An Annual of Art and Literature,<\/em>\u00a0edited by\u00a0Laurence Housman and William Somerset Maugham, Volume 2, <em>The Arden Press<\/em>, 1905, p. 15.<\/p>\n<p>Shannon, C. H. \u201cThe Dove-Cot.\u201d <em>The Venture: An Annual of Art and Literature<\/em>, Volume 1, 1903, p. ii. <em>Yellow Nineties 2.0<\/em>, edited by Lorraine Janzen Kooistra, Ryerson Centre for Digital Humanities, 2019. https:\/\/1890s.ca\/venture-volumes\/<\/p>\n<p>Sleigh, Bernard. \u201cThe Bather.\u201d <em>The Venture: An Annual of Art and Literature,<\/em> Volume 1, 1903, p. 231. <em>Yellow Nineties 2.0<\/em>, edited by Lorraine Janzen Kooistra, Ryerson Centre for Digital Humanities, 2019. https:\/\/1890s.ca\/venture-volumes\/<\/p>\n<p>Smith, Harold L. <em>The British Women&#8217;s Suffrage Campaign, 1866-1928. <\/em>Addison Wesley Longman Ltd, 1998.<\/p>\n<p>Smith, Pamela Colman. \u201cAutumn Leaves.\u201d <em>The Venture: An Annual of Art and Literature<\/em>, Volume 2, 1905, p. 28.<\/p>\n<p>Sullivan, E. J. \u201cPortrait in Black and Gold.\u201d <em>The Venture: An Annual of Art and Literature,<\/em> Volume 2,\u00a01905, p. 34.<\/p>\n<p>Syrett, Netta. \u201cPoor Little Mrs. Villiers.\u201d<em> The Venture: An Annual of Art and Literature,<\/em> Volume 1, 1903, pp. 53-73. <em>Yellow Nineties 2.0<\/em>, edited by Lorraine Janzen Kooistra, Ryerson Centre for Digital Humanities, 2019. https:\/\/1890s.ca\/venture-volumes\/<\/p>\n<p>Syrett, Netta. \u201cThe Last Journey.\u201d <em>The Venture: An Annual of Art and Literature,<\/em> Volume 2, 1905, pp. 40-52.<\/p>\n<p>Tickner, Lisa. <em>The Spectacle of Women: Imagery of the Suffrage Campaign, 1907-1914.\u00a0<\/em>University of Chicago Press, 1988.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Images in this online exhibit are either in the public domain or are being used under fair dealing for research purposes, private study, or education.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a9 Emma Fraschetti, Ryerson University 2019. Introduction The Venture: An Annual of Art and Literature, a little magazine\u00a0edited by Somerset Maugham and Laurence Housman, was published in 1903 by John Baillie in London and in 1905 by The Arden Press in Leamington. The magazine made its debut at a time &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3913","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","column","threecol"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3913","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/65"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3913"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3913\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8131,"href":"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3913\/revisions\/8131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3913"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3913"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cdh.rula.info\/y90sclassroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3913"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}