Les Jeteurs de filet 1767

Anne Philiberte Coulet produced this print, "Les Jeteurs de filet", sometime in the 18th century. It depicts a scene of fishermen casting their nets in what looks like a Mediterranean harbor. What’s fascinating here is not just the picturesque depiction of labor, but the way it situates itself within the artistic and social landscape of its time. France was undergoing significant social changes with an increasingly strong mercantile class. Artists began depicting everyday life, and in this image, we see the influence of the Enlightenment, with its interest in observation and documentation of the world around us. This print, with its detailed rendering of the fishermen and their activities, reflects a broader cultural shift towards valuing empirical knowledge and the lives of ordinary people. To fully appreciate Coulet’s work, we might turn to sources such as period literature, economic surveys, and even maritime records. These could all illuminate the social and economic context in which this image was made and received, deepening our understanding of its cultural significance.