Do It Now: Rebellion, Reading and the Modern American Woman, 1908.

 

Modern Woman Idle moment. Witty message.

 

Seen amidst the reflected jeweled tones of a hanging Tiffany-inspired lampshade, this industrious miss pauses to reflect upon one of the volumes in her well-stocked study. Shelves of books are artistically arranged in shades that shimmer ‘neath the elegant illumination of the lampshade and the glorious glow of the flaming scarlet wall.

The twentieth century zietgeist of Do It Now is being patently ignored for the old-fashioned pleasure of exploring and extolling the virtues of heedlessly immersing o0ne-self in an idle volume. Titles peaking beneath the folds of her voluminous duster, gleefully mention the Psychology of the Male Human and Bugolgly, clearly an effort at scoffing recent scholarly materials. Mitchell’s vision of the modern maiden is charming and amusing; she won’t be bound by rules and is clearly enchanted by her respite from the hurried world surrounding her.With her celestial blue ensemble and her fashionably coiffed burnished brunette psyche-knot, she is the spirited and independent woman of a dawning age. She is also a wonderful representation of the creature who would become known as ” The New Woman.”, strong vibrant, intellectual, political of fine social caliber and sporting blood- in a matter of a few years she would be taking to the road, to the skies and eventually to the nearest ballot-box.