Music halls in the 1890s were places for people to come and relax. A performer would stand on the stage with a captive audience surrounding them. They were embellished somewhat, with plush décor and seats, though mostly middle class and working class people frequented these places. Higher class people frowned upon music halls as they served alcohol and the the working class was connected with alcohol abuse (Vicinus, 1999). At times the halls could be loud and the people could be eccentric. But for the working class, these places were important because it is here that they had the ability to partake in something that only higher class people had access to. They were able to relax with their friends in a new type of social situation.

    Walter Richard Sickert was born in 1860 in Germany. He and his family moved to London soon after he was born, in 1868. Both his father and grandfather were painters, and at a young age he also began to paint. In 1882 he was given the opportunity to work with Degas. Sickert mostly enjoyed using thick paint as it allowed him to portray textures and convey movement. His favourite things to paint were “were urban scenes and figure compositions, especially pictures of the theatre and music hall and drab domestic interiors,” the topic of this painting, “Ada Lundberg” as well (Oxford Index).

    In this image from The Yellow book volume 2, one is able to note the literal male gaze, as the men stare at the woman in the middle of the frame. At first, one may assume they are gossiping, but they are actually watching her. She is a grand singer at a music hall in Britain, and she and her voice are the centre of attention. The working class men wear rounded hats and the tallest man’s tie is askew, something that someone of a higher class would never be seen with. This photo emphasizes the idea that men come to listen to the music to unwind after a day of work. They also seem to be respectful and to be enjoying her music. The woman in the photo seems to be wearing a fancier hat, but her hair pokes out of the side, alluding to her proletariat lifestyle. This halftone engraving was originally a coloured acrylic painting, part of a private collection.

    Male gaze in this image is clear and direct. Looking at the image from one angle, one can see the literal meaning of the word – men staring at a female singer. But this idea extends past such a straight forward nature. In their eyes she could be nothing more than a figure of entertainment. If she was not dressed the part or if her singing was not to their liking they had the ability to boo or dismiss her. Instead, in the 1890s, men had begun to look past these things. They instead seemed more interesting in speaking with their friends and relaxing after work. This easygoing and less critical attitude towards women allowed them to begin to frequent such places and establish themselves there.