Highlights

Description

The handcart, decorated with garlands and bouquets of flowers, is laden with furniture, bedding, household and kitchen utensils and vessels. This is the ideal-type representation of a bride's dowry. In the early 20th century, it was still common in some rural areas for newlyweds to publicly move into their new marital household. Neighbours and friends should see that the bride was well off and brought a substantial portion of the household into the marriage. All items remained the property of the woman throughout her life, which is why the public move also had a certain legal significance. This model was certainly not based on a concrete example.