Frontispiece: Gaigne Petit, plate 1 from "Le Cris de Paris" (The Cries of Paris)
Original title: Frontispiece: Gaigne Petit, plate 1 from "Le Cris de Paris" (The Cries of Paris)
kurzbeschreibung
A small shepherd called Gaigne Petit takes center stage in the frontispiece to 'Le Cris de Paris'. Simon Francis Ravenet the elder produced the print in the 18th century as an etching and engraving. The subject points to the Paris street cries gathered together in the collection.
Description
A figure in a broad-brimmed hat sits on a plain wooden chair, holding a sheep's foreleg. The gaze rests on a sheep lying before them on a wooden table. Trees and a cropped building suggest a rural setting. A sign beside the figure reads 'Le Cris de Paris' and 'Par J. Boucher'. Fine lines and shading in tones of grey shape the image.
Context
The series 'Le Cris de Paris' brings together the criers and street traders of the 18th-century French capital. A drawing and etching by Jean-François Boucher served as the model; Ravenet made the engraving. Collections of this kind were hugely popular in the 18th century because they recorded city life and typical trades.
Impact
The calm, almost statuesque bearing of the figure gives the sheet a dignified, nearly monumental presence. Clear lines and an uncluttered layout draw the eye to the clothing and the sheep without crowding the scene.
Technique
Etching and engraving combine here into precise linework and graduated shading. The plate measures 28.2 x 19.2 cm and was printed on a sheet of 30 x 20.2 cm. Grey tones and fine etched hatching match the printmaking practice of the 18th century.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)