Young woman spinning thread for an arrow 1686 - 1741

"Young Woman Spinning Thread for an Arrow" (1686-1741) is an etching by François II de Poilly. The image shows a young woman in elaborate dress spinning thread on a spindle, with a Cupid-like figure peeking over a stone urn in the background. This piece exemplifies the popular genre of the "fête galante," which depicted elegant figures in idyllic settings. The work is attributed to de Poilly, a noted French engraver who produced numerous works of art during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and is currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.