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Direct scan of object
Faiseuse de Cribles (sieve-maker)
Direct scan of object

Faiseuse de Cribles (sieve-maker)

DateCa. 1730
Engraver Martin Engelbrecht
OriginEurope, Germany, Augsburg
MediumHand colored etching and line engraving
DimensionsOverall: 14 × 8 1/2in. (35.6 × 21.6cm) Other (plates to marks including title): 12 × 8 1/4in. (30.5 × 21cm) Other (plate alone): 10 1/4 × 7 3/4in. (26 × 19.7cm)
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number1955-150,11B
DescriptionUpper margin reads: "68"
Lower margin reads: "Faiseuse de Cribles is the female sieve maker. She carries the tools of her trade and products on her person as follows: 1. (on head) une patine (measuring spoons.. This is not "patine", but it is what she is carrying); 2. (on shoulders) formes de cribles (forms of sieves); 3. (on chest) baquet a sel (bucket for salt); 4. (right hand) tranchoir (cutting boards); 5. (right hand) broc (jug); 6. (left hand) ramassoir (crumb trays); 7. (round waist) grande forme de Crible (large form for sieves); 8. (hanging from waist) Saliere de Cuisine (salt box for cook); 9. (hanging from waist) boettes (boxes); 10. (hanging from waist) baquet a farine (bucket for flour); 11. (hanging from waist) crible (sieve); 12. (hanging from waist) Couvercle de bois (cover of wood); 13. (hanging from waist) emouchoir (fly swat); 14. (at waist) reservoir (scoop); 15. (hanging from waist) huchette (bread pan); 16. (hanging from waist) le tourne choclat (chocolate grater); 17. (in left hand) Pele a pain (board to bake bread).
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 sieve or screenmaker.
She carries the tools and products of that trade on her person as follows: 1. (on head) une patine (measuring spoons.This is not "patine", but it is what she is carrying); 2. (on shoulders) formes de cribles (forms of sieves); 3. (on chest) baquet a sel (bucket for salt); 4. (right hand) tranchoir (cutting boards); 5. (right hand) broc (jug); 6. (left hand) ramassoir (crumb trays); 7. (round waist) grande forme de Crible (large form for sieves); 8. (hanging from waist) Saliere de Cuisine (salt box for cook); 9. (hanging from waist) boettes (boxes); 10. (hanging from waist) baquet a farine (bucket for flour); 11. (hanging from waist) crible (sieve); 12. (hanging from waist) Couvercle de bois (cover of wood); 13. (hanging from waist) emouchoir (fly swat); 14. (at waist) reservoir (scoop); 15. (hanging from waist) huchette (bread pan); 16. (hanging from waist) le tourne choclat (chocolate grater); 17. (in left hand) Pele a pain (board to bake bread).

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).