Old woman with distaff 

Gaspare Diziani created this sketch of an old woman with distaff, using pen and brown ink with pencil on light brown paper. The 18th-century Venetian Republic, where Diziani lived and worked, was marked by social stratification and economic shifts that affected daily life, especially for women. Diziani’s sketch captures a woman engaged in the traditional labor of spinning, a task often associated with the domestic sphere. The distaff she holds, used to hold fibers for spinning, symbolizes her connection to this world. Older women, in particular, often found themselves in these roles as they aged out of other forms of labor. Through the delicate strokes of the drawing, Diziani evokes a sense of dignity and resilience. Her figure represents both the personal and collective experiences of women who were central to the economic and social fabric of their communities. This image is not just a depiction but a poignant reflection on the lives and labors of women in the Venetian Republic.