ClipArt ETC

The Cooking and Dining ClipArt gallery provides 61 illustrations of people preparing and consuming food at home.

"The act of reclining at meals. The Greeks and Romans were accustomed, in later times, to recline at their meals; but this practice could not have been od great antiquity in Greece, since Homer always describes persons as sitting at their meals; and Isidore of Seville, an ancient grammarian, also attributes the same custom to the ancient Romans. Even in the time of the early Roman emperors, children in families of the highest rank used to sit together, while their fathers and elders reclined on couches at the upper part of the room. Roman ladies continued the practice of sitting at table, even after the recumbent position had become common with the other sex. It appears to have been considered more decent, and more agreeable to the severity and purity of ancient manners for women to sit, more especially if many persons were present. But, on the other hand, we find cases of women reclining, where there was conceived to be nothing bold or indelicate in their posture. Such is the case in the following woodcut, which seems intended to represent a scene of matrimonial felicity. The husband and wife recline on a sofa; their two sons are in front of them; and several females and a boy are performing a piece of music for the entertainment of the married pair." — Smith, 1873

Accubatio

"The act of reclining at meals. The Greeks and Romans were accustomed, in later times, to recline at…

A boar's head is carried into a banquet hall accompanied by musicians. The boar's head festival we know today originated at Queen's College, Oxford, England. Legend has it that a scholar was studying a book of Aristotle while walking through the forest on his way to Midnight Mass. Suddenly, he was confronted by an angry wild boar. Having no other weapon, the resourceful Oxonian rammed his metal-bound philosophy book down the throat of the charging animal, whereupon the brute choked to death. That night the boar's head, finely dressed and garnished, was borne in procession to the dining room, accompanied by carolers singing "in honor of the King of bliss."

Boar's Head Festival Procession

A boar's head is carried into a banquet hall accompanied by musicians. The boar's head festival we know…

An illustration of a young boy sitting in a highchair and eating out of a bowl with a spoon.

Boy Sitting in Highchair & Eating

An illustration of a young boy sitting in a highchair and eating out of a bowl with a spoon.

A boy and girl drinking eating and drinking while sitting on the ground.

Girl and Boy

A boy and girl drinking eating and drinking while sitting on the ground.

An old man serving two young girls breakfast.

Serving Breakfast

An old man serving two young girls breakfast.

A maid feeding young children. The boy drinks from a cup and is watched by a dog. The maid holds a spoon of soup to the young girl's lips.

Maid Feeding Children

A maid feeding young children. The boy drinks from a cup and is watched by a dog. The maid holds a spoon…

Two girls churning butter.

Churning

Two girls churning butter.

An adult woman churning butter.

Churning Butter

An adult woman churning butter.

A woman cooking

Cooking

A woman cooking

A mother made ham sandwiches, each tied with a narrow blue ribbon.

Cooking

A mother made ham sandwiches, each tied with a narrow blue ribbon.

Women learning how to cook

Cooking

Women learning how to cook

A luxurious couch used during the era of the Roman Empire.

Semicircular Dining Couch

A luxurious couch used during the era of the Roman Empire.

Family gathering for dinner

Dinner

Family gathering for dinner

This illustration shows a family having dinner.

Dinner

This illustration shows a family having dinner.

An illustration of two men and a woman sitting at a table eating dinner.

Dinner

An illustration of two men and a woman sitting at a table eating dinner.

Husband and wife sitting down for dinner.

Dinner

Husband and wife sitting down for dinner.

An illustration of a group of men and women attending a dinner party.

Dinner Party

An illustration of a group of men and women attending a dinner party.

A dinner table with food

Dinner Table

A dinner table with food

An illustration of a large family dinner.

Family Dinner

An illustration of a large family dinner.

An illustration of a man and boy eating dinner.

Man and Boy Eating Dinner

An illustration of a man and boy eating dinner.

Child eating roast beef.

Eating Roast Beef

Child eating roast beef.

A family sitting around the table with children on the floor and in the parent's lap.

family Sitting Around a Table

A family sitting around the table with children on the floor and in the parent's lap.

A woman using a fondue pot to make chocolate covered nuts.

Fondue

A woman using a fondue pot to make chocolate covered nuts.

An illustration of a girl drinking from a cup.

Girl Drinking From Cup

An illustration of a girl drinking from a cup.

An illustration of a girl heating water in the stove in a tea kettle.

Girl Heating Water in Tea Kettle

An illustration of a girl heating water in the stove in a tea kettle.

An illustration of a young girl carrying a tea kettle.

Girl Holding Tea Kettle

An illustration of a young girl carrying a tea kettle.

Girl making a pie in silhouette.

Girl making pie

Girl making a pie in silhouette.

An illustration of a girl opening a door and holding a tea kettle.

Girl Opening Door & Holding Tea Kettle

An illustration of a girl opening a door and holding a tea kettle.

Girl setting table in silhouette.

Girl setting table

Girl setting table in silhouette.

Girls eating apples.

Girls Eating

Girls eating apples.

Heidi with her grandfather at the dinner table.

Heidi with Grandfather

Heidi with her grandfather at the dinner table.

Heidi and her grandfather drinking tea.

Heidi with Grandfather

Heidi and her grandfather drinking tea.

Kitchen utensil used for grinding food.

Food Grinder

Kitchen utensil used for grinding food.

An illustration of a group eating dinner.

Group Eating Dinner

An illustration of a group eating dinner.

Two children eating ice cream.

Ice Cream

Two children eating ice cream.

"A cook roasting a goose; he holds the spit with one hand, and blows the fire with a fan held in the other. A second person is cutting up joints of meat and putting them into the pot, which is boiling close at hand." — Goodrich, 1844

Egyptian Kitchen - Roasting a Goose

"A cook roasting a goose; he holds the spit with one hand, and blows the fire with a fan held in the…

"Scene in Egyptian kitchen, showing use of a large rope to support a sort of hanging shelf." -Hill, 1921

Egyptian Kitchen

"Scene in Egyptian kitchen, showing use of a large rope to support a sort of hanging shelf." -Hill,…

Tea leaves are placed in a thin iron vessel with no handles called a Kuo.

Kuo Basket

Tea leaves are placed in a thin iron vessel with no handles called a Kuo.

A utensil used for lifting and handling hot pans.

Hot Pan Lifter

A utensil used for lifting and handling hot pans.

Children following the maid to dinner.

Maid and Children

Children following the maid to dinner.

An illustration of a female maid cleaning the table after a meal.

Maid Cleaning the Table

An illustration of a female maid cleaning the table after a meal.

An illustration of a maid setting the table for dinner.

Maid Setting the Table

An illustration of a maid setting the table for dinner.

Women grinding grain in a mortar. The hole for receiving the grain was in the center of the upper millstone, and in the operation of grinding the lower stone was filed and the upper stone turned by means of a handle. The meal came out at the edges and was collected on a cloth spread under the mill on the ground.

Using A Mortar

Women grinding grain in a mortar. The hole for receiving the grain was in the center of the upper millstone,…

A boy eating a pie

Pie

A boy eating a pie

Children popping popcorn at the fireplace.

Popcorn

Children popping popcorn at the fireplace.

An illustration of a family roasting a chicken.

Roasting Chicken

An illustration of a family roasting a chicken.

A steel sink surrounded by pots and dishes.

Sink

A steel sink surrounded by pots and dishes.

"A machine for turning a roasting-spit by means of a fly-wheel or -wheels, set in motion by the current of ascending air in a chimney. a,a, the chimney, contracted in a circular form; b, strong bar placed over the fireplace, to support the jack; c, wheel with vanes radiating from its center, set in motion by the ascent of the heated air, and communicating by the pinion d and the crown-wheel e, with the pulley f, from which motion is transmitted to the spit by the chain passing over it." —Whitney, 1889

Smoke-Jack Used for Roasting Meat

"A machine for turning a roasting-spit by means of a fly-wheel or -wheels, set in motion by the current…

"An iron rack, formerly used, on which a spit was hung before a fire. A common form was that of a pair of tall andirons fitted with hooks to support the ends of the spit." &mdash;Whitney, 1889 <p>Illustration of meat being cooked over a fire.

Spit Rack

"An iron rack, formerly used, on which a spit was hung before a fire. A common form was that of a pair…

Boy and girl popping corn on a stove.

Stove

Boy and girl popping corn on a stove.

This cooking stove is a kitchen appliance designed for the purpose of cooking food. Kitchen stoves rely on the application of direct heat for the cooking process and may also contain an oven, used for baking.

Cooking Stove

This cooking stove is a kitchen appliance designed for the purpose of cooking food. Kitchen stoves rely…

This kitchen appliance was designed for the purpose of cooking food. This stove relies on the application of direct heat for the cooking process and may also contain an oven used for food baking purposes.

Cooking Stove

This kitchen appliance was designed for the purpose of cooking food. This stove relies on the application…

Modern kitchen stoves have both burners on the top. A cook top just has burners on the top and is usually installed into a countertop.

Kitchen Stove

Modern kitchen stoves have both burners on the top. A cook top just has burners on the top and is usually…

A family enjoying a cup of tea together.

Tea Party

A family enjoying a cup of tea together.

Ladies drinking tea

Tea Time

Ladies drinking tea

"We see here a number of cooks busily engaged in making some broth which they wish to have better than common. For once, they unite their skill. One thinks that everything out to be well salted in order to be palatable, another puts in a good deal of pepper, while another prefers to have a variety of savory herbs. Each of these cooks are careful to put in enough of their favorite ingredients, and thus the broth is cooked. When put on the table it is found to be too salt for some of the company, too high seasoned for others, etc. In short, the broth is spoiled for their eating."&mdash;Barber, 1857

Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth

"We see here a number of cooks busily engaged in making some broth which they wish to have better than…

An illustration of a woman cooking fish.

Woman Cooking

An illustration of a woman cooking fish.

A woman in a kitchen, fainting.

Woman Fainting

A woman in a kitchen, fainting.

An illustration of a woman serving food to three men sitting at a table.

Woman Serving Three Men at Table

An illustration of a woman serving food to three men sitting at a table.

An illustration of a woman carrying a serving dish.

Woman with Serving Dish

An illustration of a woman carrying a serving dish.