Chimney Sweep 1737

Curator: Here we have Anne Claude Philippe, Comte de Caylus' "Chimney Sweep" from 1737. It is currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Caylus was a pioneer in art historical studies. Editor: He looks...resigned? There’s something haunting in the way the light falls on him. You can almost feel the grit of the soot despite the cleanness of the lines in the engraving. Curator: Engravings like this served an important social function. Prints disseminated imagery widely, making art accessible. Consider the theme: Caylus depicts a common worker, elevating him to subject worthy of artistic representation. Editor: That's the bit that gives me pause. Is it elevation, or observation? He's quite fashionable for a chimney sweep! I'm drawn to the tension between what he carries and what he wears: a curved brush versus fashionable clogs and a somewhat silly hat. Curator: That’s part of Caylus’ project. He and other artists sought to document the customs, trades, and everyday life of people, effectively creating visual archives of professions that might otherwise be overlooked. This connects to broader Enlightenment projects to classify the social order. Editor: A social order portrait! But the shadow...there's a touch of drama to it all. The artist captures something real. And in doing so, is Caylus not reflecting on his own position of privilege in society, the comfort from which he made this very rendering? I find it intriguing! Curator: Yes, thinking about Caylus' status illuminates the power dynamics inherent in such representations. And certainly brings a richer and more complex experience. Editor: I can't help but see these things layered in every shade of the ink...and that changes how I receive him!