GENDER ROLES IN FAMILY PHOTOS IN POLAND
We have managed to collect family photos going back to the end of the XIX century, that is, taken not too far after
the photography was invented. We divided our collection into a few time ranges, bounded, more or less, by
important events in the history our country.
1860 - 1900
The oldest photos in our collection present rather rich people, representatives of gentry or aristocracy. At that time
photos could be taken only by professional photographers and were taken on special occasions. Most of them are
portraits of men in uniforms or suits, or elegantly dressed women or children. They all look very serious and
important, even the children. It seems at that time everybody knew their place in society. Men should be strong and
independent, ready to work and fight for their homeland. Women proud and beautiful. People presented below
lived in the part of Poland belonging, at that time, to the Russian Empire. Independent Poland didn’t exist.
1866
1898
1894
1890 - 1900
1880 - 1900
1900 – 1915
At the beginning of the XIX century, before World War I, people who had their photos taken were also rather welloff. Apart from portraits of separate men, woman or children, we managed to find portraits of married couples or
families, which seems to suggest people began to present their other roles in society, not only politicians, lawyers,
officers, gentlemen or ladies, but also husbands, wives or parents. Even if the style of the portraits is still the same,
in some of them we can see a hint of a smile on people’s faces. Some change must have left its seeds in that society,
still strictly governed by long-established rules. We still don’t have an independent country.
1915
1915
1900 – 1910
1906
1900 – 1915
1910 – 1915
1910
1914
1910 - 1915
1920 – 1939
According to the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, Poland regained its independence. However, the question of
the borders with the neighbouring countries was a very difficult one. At hard, turbulent times between World Wars I
and II, and conflicts with the neighbours about the borders, still only relatively rich people had their photos taken.
We have collected many portraits of men, women, children and families. Interestingly enough, we managed to find a
few wedding photos. Also, we have found a few photos showing people doing something, for example, girls, most
probably in school uniforms, reading books, or ladies walking in famous health resorts. In some of the photos from
the 1930s we can clearly see people’s emotions – a caring mother holding her small baby lovingly or a proud and
happy father smiling at his son. There are also photos of girls at school or university, smiling openly and looking quite
carefree or of babies in prams, in natural poses.
1925
1930
1920 – 1930
1935
1920 - 1935
1935
1931
1920 – 1925
1925 - 1935
1920 – 1925
1920 – 1935
1950 – 1960
After World War II life in Poland changed dramatically, together with the change of the political system. The new
system encouraged women to work outside the home, also to do jobs traditionally assigned to men. What’s more,
women, who had become quite independent during the war, when they had to do many men’s jobs because of lack
of men to do them, didn’t want to limit themselves again only to their traditional roles – ladies or servants, wives
and mothers. They started their struggle to reconcile various social roles. Consequently, men began to share some of
their domestic chores and spend more and more time with the children. Also, many children went to nurseries and
kindergartens, because their working mothers couldn’t look after them all the time. Unfortunately, we didn’t
manage to find photos of women at work, except for jobs requiring taking care of others, even if at that time
photography was no longer reserved for rich people. However, because many people could afford to have their
photos taken and even some of them took photos themselves, we found quite a few photos showing people at work,
practising their hobbies, spending time with the children and also presenting celebrations and rituals. Among them
there are also photos of women showing their charms in quite a seductive way.
1960 – 1980
The new political system made it possible for working class people to go on holidays or send their children to
summer camps. Also, as education was free, many young people whose parents were not rich, were able to study at
secondary schools or universities. In our collection there are many photos presenting families on holidays, children
on summer camps or at school. We have photos showing girls in cooking classes but also taking part in summer
schools for students of nuclear physics. As always, many photos of women and girls doing typically women’s jobs,
like taking care of children or animals, also photos of men in army uniforms. It seems the role of a woman as a
goddess of hearth and home or a man as a soldier and defender of the homeland has always been very strong in our
country. However, there are quite a few photos presenting girls doing sports or men spending time with children.
Many others show various family or religious rituals, also festivities and celebrations at schools or kindergartens.
1980 – 2000
Another transition period in the history of Poland – the political system is changing again. Many people take photos
themselves and create chronicles of their families. We collected many photos presenting stereotypical male and
female roles but almost equally many showing men spending time with children or grandchildren, boys mending
their clothes or playing musical instruments, and also women at work, engaged in sports or their hobbies.
Interestingly, we found a few photos of women taking care of their beauty, which of course they have always done,
but seemingly not too often photographed before. Masculinity seems no longer connected as much with defending
the homeland or serving it as a lawyer or politician, but more so with prestige, position, possessions or the body
built. Similarly, femininity is no longer only taking care of others or being a cold, dignified lady, but also taking care
of one’s own beauty and being coquettish and seductive. We found more and more photos taken on holidays as well
as showing ordinary life and celebrations at work or in educational institutions and, as always, at home and church.
2000 – 2013
Yet another change in Poland – at first candidacy and then membership in the European Union. It has brought with it
plenty of new opportunities and challenges, a huge change in people’s views and expectations. Many people got a
chance to earn more, buy more and go abroad, not only to spend their holidays there but also to study or work.
Unfortunately, for some of them work abroad was not quite a challenging opportunity but a sad necessity. Many
foreigners started coming to Poland. All these migrating people brought here new ideas, new points of view, new
ways of life. The photos we have collected show people taking care of their children or doing housework, both
women and men, people engaged in their hobbies, sometimes quite expensive ones, on holidays, quite often in
exotic places, also at work or educational institutions. As always, we have very many photos presenting various
celebrations. Interestingly, parenthood seems no longer only a solemn duty, but also an occasion for jokes and fun.
We collected photos of mothers and fathers looking after their children or playing with them, but also just having
fun, like the father with his daughter in a gift bag or the pregnant mother with a smile drawn on her huge belly.
There are boys sailing but also making dough, and girls playing with dolls but also with building blocks or puzzles,
there are men assembling old motorcycles but also cooking or women looking after the children but also working in
CERN or climbing mountains. Also, very many photos of the whole families spending time together on holidays,
doing sports or domestic chores.
Summary
Our work doesn’t claim to be a result of a sociological or historical research. It presents the trends and changes we
were able to see in the photos we managed to collect. The collection is not a statistically representative sample for
Polish society at any time. All the photos belong to the families of people with university education or high school
students, what’s more, only those among high school students who are interested in this project, whose subject is
still quite controversial in Poland. Most probably, we would see a lot of traditional ways nowadays, too, if we
collected photos belonging to people who don’t have this kind of academic aspirations. However, it definitely shows
a trend which is taking place in a big part of Polish society – those with independent minds, open for other people
and new ideas, but at the same time, fostering and passing on some of the age-old traditions and customs.