Locksmith! I have keys, plate 26 - Simon Guillain

A detailed 1646 etching by Simon Guillain depicting a Parisian locksmith carrying his tools, captured with precision and historical character.

This etching by Simon Guillain, dated 1646, belongs to a series depicting the street vendors and tradespeople of seventeenth-century Paris. The figure is captured from behind, a compositional choice that directs the viewer's attention to the tools of his trade. A heavy wooden pole rests across his shoulders, supporting a collection of keys, a small cage, and various metal implements. The locksmith wears the practical, worn clothing of a working man, with his posture suggesting the physical burden of his itinerant profession.

Guillain employs precise, controlled lines to define the textures of the metal objects and the fabric of the man's garments. Cross-hatching is used sparingly to create shadow and volume, particularly on the legs and the lower portion of the pack. The background is minimal, featuring a faint outline of a town or fortification, which provides a sense of place without distracting from the primary subject. The inclusion of birds in the upper left corner adds a subtle atmospheric touch to the scene.

As a sculptor and printmaker, Guillain possessed a keen eye for anatomical structure and material weight. This work offers a glimpse into the social fabric of the period, documenting the daily lives of those who populated the city streets. The print is part of a larger catalogue of Parisian types, a genre that gained popularity during the mid-seventeenth century as artists sought to record the diversity of urban life. The clarity of the etching process allows for a detailed examination of the locksmith's equipment, from the individual keys to the structural frame of his carrying apparatus. This piece remains a valuable record of historical trades, rendered with the technical skill characteristic of the French Baroque period.