Untitled Caricature of Six Scenes of Different Occupations

Description

Mounted hand coloured engraving, untitled, designed and engraved by anon, and published by Jean, around 1800-1820.

Six scenes depicting the practice of a selection of different occupations, captioned in French: ‘Chimiste dans son laboratoire.’ (Chemist in his laboratory), ‘Phisicien.’ (Physician), ‘Chirurgien.’ (Surgeon), ‘horloger.’ (watchmaker), ‘Boucher.’ (Butcher), and ‘Chaircuittier.’ (Charcutier, generally translated into English as “pork butcher”).

The Chemist is depicted working a furnace in his laboratory with a pair of bellows. An alembic is being heated by the furnace, while another alembic sits on a stool by the side of the furnace. On the table behind him is a mortar and pestle. Placed above the butcher in the series, the Surgeon is shown as a young well-dressed man. He bleeds a female patient’s arm into two bowls set on a small table.