The Artisan (from the Tarocchi, series E: Conditions of Man, #3)

1467

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

The Artisan (from the Tarocchi, series E: Conditions of Man, #3) is a 1467 by Master of the E-Series Tarocchi, a Renaissance work, depicting Ferrara, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Master of the E-Series Tarocchi
When & what style?: 1467 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

The Artisan shows a man working at a desk in his workshop. He's surrounded by tools and a fire burns in the background. This scene gives us a glimpse into the life of a craftsman. The artist included many details to show the artisan's daily work. The fire and tools suggest a busy workshop. To learn more about similar artwork, check out the museum where this is kept, The Cleveland Museum of Art.

The story of this work

Overview

This engraving is part of the Tarocchi group marked with the letter “E,” and named Conditions of Man . This series outlines the social and hierarchical order of ten characters (Beggar, Servant, Artisan, Merchant, Gentleman, Knight, Doge King, Emperor, and Pope), starting from the lower grade and ending with the most important one. Here, Artixan (The Artisan) is shown as a male figure, working from behind a desk in his workshop. In the background, a fire is burning on the left, while an apprentice is standing behind the artisan on the right.

Read the full account in the museum source.