The Foundling Museumin London owe its being to women . A group of 21 women petitioned to unfold the Foundling Hospital , the UK ’s first child ’s charity , in the 18th 100 , and today the museum celebrates its history . But you would n’t know the important role those women make for in the infirmary ’s origins from depend around the museum ’s all - manlike picture drift .

Now , in laurels of the 100 - yr day of remembrance of women ’s vote in the UK , the Foundling Museum hopes to exchange that . The institution is call forth funds to swap the portrait of human beings on the walls with those of fair sex , The Art Newspaperreports .

Thomas Coram founded the hospital for baby at risk of defection in 1739 , but he did n’t do it alone . so as to receive a Royal Charter from the king to open it , he needed to gather enough signatures on a orison . The men he approach were n’t interested , but when he pop out turn over out to women he received a much unlike response . Charlotte , Duchess of Somerset was the first to sign her name , and many more duchess watch her lead . The only evidence of these “ madam of lineament and note ” is a page in his notebook computer list their names . The museum ’s portraits of manlike governors , however , are displayed prominently .

dvdbramhall, Flickr // CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

This twelvemonth marks the centenary of women ’s right to vote in the UK , and the museum is using it as an opportunity to tickle pink the women who have been written out of the infirmary ’s story . They ’re search £ 20,000 ( about $ 28,400 ) to pile up portrait of the women currently scattered around the nation and hang them in station of the men who have dominated the portraiture veranda for century . For the women whose portrayal have either been lost or destroyed , the museum will exhibit reproductions or empty frame in their laurels .

The Foundling Museum hope to execute the " Ladies of Quality and Distinction " show from September 21 , 2018 to January 13 , 2019 if they successfully get up the investment trust they need . Either way of life , the museum plans to host additional talk and displays through the yr in honour of women ’s suffrage . you could donate to their campaignhere .

[ h / tThe Art Newspaper ]