Waterput met emmer aan touw c. 1800 - 1825

Jacques Marchand created this print, "Waterput met emmer aan touw," using etching. Marchand was active during a period of significant social upheaval, including the French Revolution, which dramatically reshaped European society and politics. Here, the image presents a seemingly simple scene—a well with a bucket—yet it invites us to consider the role of labor and rural life in a rapidly changing world. The period saw a shift in perception of rural communities, often romanticized yet integral to the socio-economic fabric. Marchand’s choice to depict this scene invites a reflection on the value of manual work and the dignity of rural existence. Consider how the act of drawing water from a well connects to fundamental human needs and communal life. The detailed rendering of the well and bucket also highlights the tools that mediate human interaction with the natural world. These tools, while simple, are vital for survival, and this etching becomes a meditation on human resilience.