Pastry Seller 1738

Anne Claude Philippe Caylus, an aristocratic French collector and artist, created this etching in 1738, which is now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection. Caylus is best known for his work depicting the everyday life of 18th-century Parisian society, a genre known as genre painting. This particular piece, *Pastry Seller*, portrays a street vendor selling pastries, highlighting the artist's keen eye for detail in capturing the everyday activities of the working class. The etching's simple composition and realistic portrayal of the vendor’s clothing and the basket of pastries make it a compelling example of Caylus’s talent for social commentary.