Acquarolo d'acqua del Reno, Plate 10 - Simon Guillain

A seventeenth-century etching by Simon Guillain, depicting a water carrier based on a design by Annibale Carracci.

This etching by Simon Guillain, dated 1646, depicts a water carrier, a common figure in the street life of the seventeenth century. The work is part of a series documenting the diverse trades and characters observed in Bologna, based on original designs by Annibale Carracci. The inscription in the lower right corner, 'Anib Carr In S Sc', acknowledges Carracci as the inventor of the composition, while Guillain serves as the engraver.

The figure is shown in profile, walking with a heavy wooden yoke across his shoulders. From this yoke, two large buckets hang, balanced to distribute the weight. The carrier wears simple, practical clothing, including a cap and breeches, and is barefoot. His posture suggests the physical exertion required for his daily labour. In the background, a faint outline of a townscape, including a church spire, provides a sense of place, though the focus remains firmly on the individual worker.

Guillain employs a clear, linear style of etching. He uses hatching and cross-hatching to define the musculature of the carrier's legs and the texture of the wooden buckets. The background is kept minimal, ensuring the viewer concentrates on the subject. This print belongs to a tradition of 'street cries' or 'cries of the city', which were popular in European printmaking during the Baroque period. These works provided a visual record of the urban working class, capturing the mundane yet essential activities that kept cities functioning. The print offers a direct, unadorned look at a historical occupation, reflecting the interest of the era in documenting social types and everyday life through the medium of the printed image.