GUERARD, Nicolas. - De Tout Cote Peur.

A lovely eighteenth century print of an old man who has "fear on all sides." He is seen fully dressed holding a chest (of money / personal effects?) whilst clutching a walking stick. He stands in the middle of a circle, with pathways containing all of his rational fears: "Fear of Thieves" - "Fear of Heat" - "Fear of Cold" - "Fear of Poverty" - "Fear of Death" - "Fear of Sickness".
Each 'fear' is illustrated, in fact in the background you see a burglary taking place within his house.

Beneath the print are a few lines of verse. 'Old age and Infirmity'. The heat, the cold and the thieves.
Poverty, death and disease.
They cause eternal fear.
At the last age of life,
Where all things cause suffering,
An old man who fears dying.

Nicolas Guerard was a French engraver, publisher and merchant of prints. He was born in Normandy around 1648, his father, Michel Guerard, was a Norman papermaker. His brother, Francois Guerard was a publisher and print dealer. Nicolas died in 1719 - his son, also a Nicolas was an engineer and designer.