Leather Tanning (Plate 17) - Simon Guillain

A detailed seventeenth-century etching by Simon Guillain depicting a labourer carrying leather hides, capturing the realities of early modern trade.

This etching by Simon Guillain depicts a labourer engaged in the trade of leather tanning. The figure is shown in profile, carrying a large, circular bundle of hides upon his back, supported by long poles. The composition focuses on the physical exertion of the worker, whose posture is bent under the weight of his materials. Guillain employs precise, rhythmic lines to define the texture of the hides and the musculature of the worker, reflecting the technical discipline of seventeenth-century printmaking.

The work originates from a series documenting various trades and street figures, a genre that gained popularity in the early modern period as artists sought to record the daily activities of the urban and rural populace. The background includes a simplified architectural sketch, providing a sense of place without distracting from the primary subject. The artist, Simon Guillain, was a sculptor and engraver who worked in Paris, often collaborating with other masters of the era. This particular plate, after a design by Ambroise Dubois, demonstrates the collaborative nature of print production during the French Baroque period.

Technically, the etching relies on cross-hatching and varied line weights to create volume and shadow. The absence of heavy shading allows the viewer to focus on the silhouette and the specific tools of the trade. As a historical document, the print offers a glimpse into the material culture of the seventeenth century, capturing the tools and attire associated with the tanning industry. The work is presented here as a high-quality fine art print, preserving the clarity of Guillain's original copperplate lines.