Organ Grinder 1737

"Organ Grinder" is an etching by Anne Claude Philippe Caylus, created in 1737. This print, housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, depicts a young woman, likely a street performer, carrying a large organ on her back. The detailed depiction of the organ's intricate mechanics and the woman's stoic expression offer a glimpse into the lives of working-class individuals in 18th-century France. Caylus was a renowned collector and artist known for his interest in documenting everyday life through his prints, making this work a significant example of social realism in art.