Artwork
The Water Carriers
The Water Carriers is a print by the Romanticist artist Jean Henri Marlet. It dates from 1824 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
The Water Carriers, a lithograph created by French artist Jean Henri Marlet around 1824, depicts a lively street scene centered around a fountain where people gather to carry water.
Subject & Meaning
The print illustrates everyday life, focusing on individuals, likely domestic servants or household members, tasked with fetching water from a public fountain, highlighting a common chore of the era.
Technique & Style
Marlet, an early adopter of lithography in France, utilized this technique to produce The Water Carriers, characterized by simple, worn architectural details in the background and traditional attire among the figures, reflecting a straightforward, observational approach.
History & Provenance
Created during Marlet's active lithography period (1822-1832), following training at l'Académie de Dijon and under Baron Jean-Baptiste Regnault, the work is now part of The Cleveland Museum of Art's collection.
Context
The Water Carriers aligns with the patriotic and vital themes of early 19th-century French art, sharing similarities with contemporaries Nicolas-Toussaint Charlet and Auguste Raffet in capturing national everyday life.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Henri Marlet, aka Jean Henry Marlet (18 November 1771 – 1847), was a French painter and engraver.
