Reverse copy of Noisettes (Nutcrackers), from Les Cris de Paris (The Cries of Paris)
Original title: Reverse copy of Noisettes (Nutcrackers), from Les Cris de Paris (The Cries of Paris)
kurzbeschreibung
Part of Les Cris de Paris, this etching and engraving from the 18th century by Jacques Philippe Le Bas shows a street vendor carrying a bowl of nuts and flowers, with a child at her side. The sheet, which records everyday life on the streets of the French capital, measures 22.5 x 16.4 cm.
Description
A woman in traditional dress anchors the image, holding a bowl of nuts and flowers, her gaze turned toward the plainly dressed child standing beside her. Vertical bands suggest a window or structural element behind the pair. Along the lower edge runs the inscription 'NOISETTES, les grosses noisettes'. Delicate lines and hatching build up light and volume across the monochrome surface.
Context
During the 18th century, the Les Cris de Paris series belonged to a familiar genre documenting the calls and trades of Parisian street vendors. Le Bas, a French copperplate engraver, produced these sheets as part of a larger collection portraying the city's daily life. The note 'Reverse copy' indicates that this is a mirror-image copy of another print, a common 18th-century practice for producing variants.
Impact
The sheet gives a quiet, matter-of-fact impression of Parisian street life. Its symmetrical arrangement and careful linework lend it a clear, orderly aesthetic. Because the image is monochrome, details of clothing and objects come to the fore.
Technique
Etching and engraving, two widespread 18th-century intaglio processes, meet here. Etching allows soft, flowing lines, while engraving adds precise, fine detail. Together they yield graded shading that captures the texture of fabrics and nuts.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)