Artwork
A Water Carrier
A Water Carrier is a watercolor work on paper by the Impressionist artist Amedeo Preziosi. It dates from 1855 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
A Water Carrier is a watercolour drawing by Aloysius Rosarius Amadeus Raymondus Andreas, the 5th Count Preziosi, featuring a solitary figure carrying water. The work exists in multiple versions, with variations in quality and some unsigned, indicating possible studio copies or imitations.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is a man engaged in a mundane, laborious task, emphasizing everyday life. His attire (red hat, striped shirt, loose pants) and equipment (leather bag, long stick) suggest a working-class individual. The depiction focuses on the ordinary, reflecting the artist's interest in common life scenes.
Technique & Style
The drawing employs simple, muted colors (reds, browns, whites) and quick, sketchy lines, conveying a sense of immediacy. The overall style is characterized by directness and simplicity, prioritizing the representation of the subject over intricate detail.
History & Provenance
Acquired in July 1972 through an exchange with Prue Heathcote-Williams, as noted by Rodney Searight. The piece is part of a collection of single-figure studies, with similar works held in prominent institutions like the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum.
![A Seller of Milk-puddings [Mahallebi]](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/amedeo-preziosi--a-seller-of-milk-puddings-mahallebi--3da9fd2db017402d-w320.webp)
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Amedeo Preziosi (2 December 1816 – 27 September 1882) was a Maltese painter and traveler known for his watercolours and prints of Constantinople, the Balkans, Ottoman Empire, and Romania.
![A Saka, or water carrier[?], by Anonymous Greek artist](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/anonymous-greek-artist--a-saka-or-water-carrier--fea97d6d74c0c945-w320.webp)
