Wassende vrouwen 1820

Bartolomeo Pinelli made this etching of women at a well in Italy in the early 19th century. This was a time when the Grand Tour brought wealthy Europeans to Italy in search of classical beauty. Pinelli made many prints documenting Roman costumes and customs for this tourist market. Here, he has created a picturesque scene of everyday life. The women's clothing and hairstyles evoke both classical antiquity and regional folk traditions. However, Pinelli was not just an antiquarian. He came from a humble background and often depicted the lives of ordinary Romans with sympathy and realism. His prints served as a form of social commentary, celebrating the dignity of the working classes and critiquing the rigid social hierarchies of his time. To fully understand Pinelli's art, we can consult sources such as costume books, travelogues, and social histories of 19th-century Rome. Art like this reflects the complex interplay of social, economic, and political forces that shaped artistic production in its time.