Sweeper 1746

This is an etching of a sweeper by Anne Claude Philippe Caylus, a French artist working in the 18th century. Caylus has depicted a woman, presumably a servant, engrossed in the mundane task of sweeping. But what might seem like a straightforward depiction of everyday life is charged with the cultural values of its time. In 18th century France, the arts academy was the gatekeeper of taste and artistic value. It defined the hierarchy of genres, placing history painting at the top and genre scenes, like this one, much lower down. There was an obsession with class and social order. The sweeper, as a subject, reflects a growing interest in the lives of ordinary people. At the same time, she's carefully posed and idealized. The clean lines and formal composition elevate her, hinting at the complex social dynamics at play. To understand this work, we might turn to period literature, social histories, and even fashion studies. By situating the sweeper within the context of 18th-century French society, we can reveal the complex interplay between art, class, and social representation.