Coppersmith from Auvergne 1737

This print, made by Anne Claude Philippe Caylus, depicts a coppersmith from Auvergne, France. The most striking symbol here is the coppersmith’s tools—the very instruments of his trade, slung over his back and held in his hands. Consider how tools, across cultures and eras, represent human ingenuity and labor. They echo the Cycladic figurines with their tools, and medieval depictions of blacksmiths, where tools symbolize craft and creation. Yet, the coppersmith’s tools here, though practical, also hint at something deeper. The shapes, the way they hang, almost echo primal forms, stirring subconscious memories of past struggles and triumphs. The coppersmith's posture, the way he holds the pan, conveys both pride and weariness. It’s as if he’s carrying not just metal, but the weight of generations of labor, a visual testament to the enduring human spirit. Symbols are never static. They evolve. Here, Caylus captures a fleeting moment, yet embeds it with timeless motifs, reminding us that every image is a palimpsest, layered with history, emotion, and the echoes of our shared human experience.