Confrontatie tussen Reinhard, Karl en Wilhelmine

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki's etching *Confrontatie tussen Reinh, Karl en Wilhelmine (1781) captures a moment of intense human drama in a compact format—measuring just 113 mm high by 65 mm wide. Created during the late Enlightenment era, when Chodowiecki served as director of the Berlin of Arts, this small-scale print exemplifies his mastery of narrative illustration. The Polish-German artist was a prolific printmaker, producing thousands of etchings that brought literary and moral tales to life for a wide audience, blending Rococo elegance with emerging Neoclassical clarity. The title evokes a charged confrontation among three figures—Reinhard, Karl, and Wilhelmine—likely drawn from contemporary literature or social commentary, a hallmark of Chodowiecki's work. His etchings often depicted everyday emotions and ethical dilemmas, making complex human interactions accessible and relatable. The etching technique, involving acid-etched lines on a metal plate, allowed for exquisite detail and tonal subtlety in such intimate dimensions, ideal for book illustrations or collector's albums. On the verso, it bears the collector's mark Lugt 2228, a stamped provenance that underscores its historical value and journey through esteemed collections. This piece invites visitors to ponder the timeless tensions of relationships, reflecting 18th-century fascination with personal and societal confrontations.

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...