Une Tonneliere (female cooper)

DateCa. 1730

Engraver Martin Engelbrecht

After work by I. I. Stelzer

MediumHand colored etching and line engraving

DimensionsOverall: 14 × 8 1/2in. (35.6 × 21.6cm) Other (plate to marks including title): 12 1/2 × 7 3/4in. (31.8 × 19.7cm) Other (plate alone): 10 1/4 × 7 1/4in. (26 × 18.4cm)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1955-150,6B

DescriptionUpper right corner: "24"
Lower margin reads: "Une Tonneliére./ Ein ?./ 1. un baquet. 1. Heffen Kübel. 2. des Copeaux .2. Holßkpäne .3. Cuvette à laver. 3. eine Waschgelte. 4. 3in Sitsche. 4. un baril. 5. ein Faßel . 6. un cuvier à laver/ 6. Watchkübel. 7. baquet à écurer. 7. eine Spiel Brente. 8. baquet à la main. 8. ein/ Hand Kübel. 9. grand cuvier. 9. eine Tonne./ I.I. Stelzer fecit./ Cum Priv. Maj./ M. Engelbrecht exc. A.V"
Label TextMartin Engelbrecht’s mid-18th century publication on trades included both a male and female illustration of each trade or profession in creative ways. Though they represent the tools that tradesmen used and the products they produced, they were meant to entertain elite audiences rather than inform about the labor involved in these trades or professions.This print represents an idealized version of a copper (maker of wooden vessels). She carries her products associated with coopering on her person as follows: 1. (on head) un baquet (bucket); 2. (in bucket on head) des copeaux (wood shavings); 3. (at waist) Cuvette a laver (shallow tub for washing); 4. (at waist back) un broc (large jug); 5. (at waist) un baril (a barrel); 6. (at waist) un cuvier a laver (larger tub for washing); 7. (at waist) baquet a ecurer (tub for scrubbing); 8. (at waist) baquet a la main (basin in which to wash hands); 9. (as a skirt) grand cuvier (great wash tub).

This print is from a series of 189 engravings consisting prints featuring depictions of tradesmen in the format known as composite figures, which are human figures made up of objects. Sometimes various accoutrements or tools are cleverly incorporated into recognizable garments or even replace body parts. Each plate represents different trades by trades men and women dressed with associated tools and products. They do not represent actual tradespeople nor are they meant to suggest that women participated in these trades, though in some cases they may have.They were designed by Johann Jacob Stelzner (1706-1780), C.F. Horstman and M. Rosler. They were etched by Martin Engelbrecht ( 1684–1756). The series was published in a compilation known as, From Martin Engelbrecht, "L' Assemblage nouveau des manouvries habilles or Neu-eröffnete Sammlung der mit ihren eigenen Arbeiten und Werkzeugen eingekleideten Künstlern, Handwerkern und Professionen," (Augsburg, Germany, ca. 1730).