Stoelenverkoper 1660

Giuseppe Maria Mitelli created this etching, "Stoelenverkoper," or "Chair Vendor," in Italy, sometime in the 17th or 18th century. The image presents us with a figure of the working poor, weighed down by his wares. What does it mean to show someone in this way? Consider the tradition of street criers and tradesmen who, like this chair vendor, occupied a marginal place in early modern society. They were sometimes viewed with suspicion or even associated with the criminal underworld. Mitelli’s print offers a glimpse into this subculture. The figure trudges along burdened by his load, while also bearing the weight of social stigma. We can study the role of prints like these in circulating knowledge about different social classes and subcultures. What can we learn about the ways in which poverty and labor were viewed and represented through research into popular imagery? Studying historical documents alongside images like this helps us understand not just what people saw, but how they saw it.