A detailed engraving by Pietro Longhi depicting servants preparing firearms for a hunt, capturing a quiet moment of eighteenth-century Venetian life.

This print depicts a group of servants engaged in the maintenance of hunting equipment. Pietro Longhi, a Venetian painter, is recognised for his documentation of daily life in eighteenth-century Venice. Unlike his contemporaries who focused on grand historical or religious themes, Longhi turned his attention to the domestic and social habits of the period. This work captures a quiet, functional moment: the preparation of firearms before a hunt. The figures are positioned around a simple structure, their focus entirely on the mechanical tasks at hand. The composition relies on the interplay of light and shadow to define the forms of the men and their equipment. The inclusion of a dog in the foreground adds a sense of realism to the scene, grounding the activity in a practical context. The print features a bilingual inscription in Italian and Latin at the base, which provides a narrative frame for the visual content. The technical execution of the engraving reflects the style of the era, using fine lines and cross-hatching to create texture and depth. This piece offers a glimpse into the social hierarchy of the time, where the labour of servants supported the leisure activities of the landed class. The work remains a valuable record of the material culture and social customs of the Venetian Republic during the mid-eighteenth century.