Henry en Poins overvallen Falstaff en zijn metgezellen

About this artwork

collector's mark: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowie, a prolific German etcher and engraver active in the late 18th century, captures a lively moment from William Shakespeare's *Henry IV, Part 1* in this 1785 etching titledHenry en Poins over Falstaff en zijn metellen* ("Henry and Poins Ambush Falstaff and Hisions"). The scene depicts the infamous Gadshill robbery, where Prince Hal (Henry) and his friend Poins surprise the boisterous knight Falstaff and his roguish band, highlighting themes of youthful mischief and deception that define Shakespeare's history plays. Chodowiecki, director of the Prussian Academy of Arts in Berlin, was renowned for his intricate book illustrations, blending Rococo elegance with emerging Neoclassical clarity to bring literature to life for a wide audience. Measuring just 115 mm high by 63 mm wide, this intimate etching exemplifies Chodowiecki's mastery of the medium. Etching allowed him to achieve fine lines and expressive textures on copper plates, rendering dynamic figures and dramatic lighting in a compact format ideal for printed editions or collector's albums. Produced during the Enlightenment's fervor for Shakespeare across Europe, the work reflects growing fascination with English drama on the Continent. The presence of Lugt 2228—a collector's mark from a distinguished 19th-century library—underscores its enduring appeal among connoisseurs, bridging theater, printmaking, and cultural exchange in the Age of Reason.

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...