Water Carrier 1742

"Water Carrier", created in 1742 by Anne Claude Philippe Caylus, is an etching that depicts a man carrying two buckets of water. The figure is shown from behind, walking up a set of steps. Caylus was a French aristocrat, archaeologist, and collector who produced numerous etchings and drawings that documented everyday life. This work is a fine example of his interest in the social realism of the 18th century. It is also a fine example of the art of etching, a printmaking technique where a design is etched into a metal plate.