Gravedigger, plate 43 - Simon Guillain

A detailed seventeenth-century etching by Simon Guillain depicting a labourer carrying a heavy wooden frame, part of a series on Parisian trades.

This etching by Simon Guillain, a French sculptor and printmaker active during the seventeenth century, depicts a labourer carrying a heavy wooden structure across his shoulders. The work is part of a series documenting the various trades and figures of Parisian life, providing a glimpse into the social strata of the period. Guillain employs a precise, linear technique, using cross-hatching to define the weight of the timber and the texture of the figure's clothing. The composition focuses on the physical exertion of the subject, whose posture is bent under the load. In the background, a simplified architectural form suggests a town setting, though the primary interest remains the figure itself. The print is marked with the number 43 in the lower right corner, identifying its place within the larger collection of his work. The artist's monogram, S.G., appears in the lower left, confirming his authorship of this series. The stark contrast between the dark lines of the etching and the pale paper creates a clear, graphic quality typical of the period's printmaking practices. This piece offers a direct observation of manual labour, stripped of idealisation, and provides a record of the tools and attire common to the era. The clarity of the lines and the economy of the composition allow the viewer to focus on the mechanics of the task, from the grip of the hands to the strain in the legs. It is a study of form and function, captured with the technical skill of a master sculptor who understood the anatomy of movement and the physical reality of his subjects.