Iconographic Objects

While both of these documents were useful, they were not quite what I was looking for as they did not directly relate to ethnicity or race. I turned to the Archives Image Gallery where my search was more successful. A search of “dorm room” revealed images of a student’s dorm room with a number of cultural objects including a Japanese or Chinese fan, a Chinese paper umbrella, and a Chinese lantern. While the black and white image is old, labeled from 1900, it was digitized in good condition, revealing some of the icons and fine details featured on these objects. For example, the umbrella had a beautiful, floral pattern with leaves on it. Although this image provides insight into my initial question, there are many questions I have about it that remain unanswered. It seems that at the beginning of the 20th century, there were very few Chinese students at Wellesley. Furthermore, the owner of these distinctly cultural objects was most likely white. The image highlights the appropriation that we have discussed throughout this exhibition. It would seem that the College, mirroring the Western world, had a desire to participate in and borrow from other cultures for their own enjoyment.