Mit Rose und Besen

Michel Simonet allows us to look beneath the orange work uniform of a street sweeper in this book. He wears this clothing with pride and joy. He exudes calmness, cheerfulness, but also a hint of irony. A deep, humble joy, the joy of the believer and the scholar. He sees himself as a free Christian with the "faith of the worker." Our street sweeper has nothing pedantic about him, but he is very much aware of his cultural capital. This is evident in his relationship with work, whether intellectual or manual. And Simonet teaches us to see: these poor tourists; heads held high, they wander through the historic centers. They will never know that the urban fabric is not primarily architectural, but social. The true connoisseurs walk through the city with their eyes cast down: a cigarette, a can.