Broosheid

About this artwork

Latere staat gebruikt voor: Kleinen Taschen Calender auf das gemeine Jahr 1785 (...). Berlijn: S.n., 1784.

Art Historical Context

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowie, a prolific Polish-German artist and engraver active in 18th-century Berlin, *Broosheid* in 1784 as a delicate etching measuring just 60mm high by 30mm wide. Renowned for his intricate book illustrations and moralistic genre scenes, Chodowie served as director of the Prussian Academy of Arts and excelled in capturing everyday life with Rococo elegance and Enlightenment wit. His works often adorned popular publications, blending fine detail with accessible storytelling. This etching represents a "later state," refined for reproduction in the *Kleinen Taschen Calender auf das gemeine Jahr 1785*, a compact Berlin pocket calendar published that year. Such diminutive formats were cherished in the era for their portability, serving as affordable almanacs that combined practical dates with artistic vignettes—ideal for the emerging middle class. Etching allowed Chodowiecki to achieve sharp lines and tonal depth on a tiny scale, showcasing his mastery of the intaglio technique. *Broosheid*'s cultural significance lies in its role within Berlin's vibrant print culture, where art democratized moral and social commentary. Today, it evokes the intimacy of 18th-century personal artifacts, reminding us how miniature masterpieces brought refinement to daily life.

About the Artist

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki · 1726–1801

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki (1726–1801) was a German painter and printmaker of Polish-Huguenot descent who became the most celebrated graphic artist in 18th-century Germany. Born in Danzig (now Gdańsk), he created approximately 2,000 etchings that serve as an invaluable visual record of German bourgeois life during the Enlightenment. Largely self-taught, Chodowiecki moved to Berlin in 1743 and ach...