An accident while traveling, a kneeling man fixing a broken saddle, a horse pissing at the left 1740 - 1750

This print, "An accident while traveling," was made by Charles Nicolas Cochin I in the 18th century. As an engraving, it is fundamentally an exercise in controlled labor. The artist meticulously incised lines into a metal plate, building up an image through painstaking work. Notice the way the depicted accident is also a kind of labor. One man kneels, diligently repairing a broken saddle—a humble task essential for the journey to continue. The surrounding figures, presumably fellow travelers, stand by, their own roles likely defined by class and necessity. Even the pissing horse contributes its own kind of labor to the scene, a reminder of the constant needs and demands of the physical world. The print medium itself speaks to a broader social context, of course. It enabled the wide dissemination of images, fueling both commerce and culture. In this sense, Cochin’s engraving is not just a representation of labor but also a product of it, enmeshed in the economic and social fabric of its time.