Oefening in geduld en verachting van rijkdom

About this artwork

Zevende prent uit een serie met 12 scènes uit 'een liederlijk leven'. De twaalf scènes werden samen op een plaat geëtst. De tweede staat van deze serie is gebruikt als illustratie in: 'Berliner genealogischen Calender auf das Jahr 1774'. Aan de hand van deze prentserie schreef Johann Christian Ludwig Haken (1767-1835) zijn briefroman 'Der Lüderliche'.

Art Historical Context

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowie, a prolific Polish-German artist and engraver active in 18th-century Berlin, *Oefening in ged en verachting vandom* ("Exercise in and Contempt for Wealth in 1773. This etching, measuring just 107mm by 61mm, is the seventh print in a series twelve scenes depicting "een liederlijk leven" (a dissolute life Chodowiecki etched all twelve vignettes together on a single plate, showcasing his mastery of intricate, narrative-driven compositions ideal for book illustrations during the Enlightenment era, when moral tales critiqued vice and promoted virtue. The series gained cultural traction as the second state of the prints illustrated the *Berliner genealogischen Calender auf das Jahr 1774*, a popular almanac blending genealogy with edifying stories. Its influence extended to literature: inspired by these vivid scenes, Johann Christian Ludwig Haken penned the epistolary novel *Der Lüderliche* (1797–1835 editions), transforming Chodowiecki's visual satire into prose. This interplay highlights the artwork's role in 18th-century Germany's print culture, where small-scale etchings democratized moral instruction for a wide audience. Chodowiecki's precise etching technique—using acid to bite fine lines into copper plates—captures subtle expressions and domestic details, emphasizing themes of patience amid temptation and disdain for fleeting riches. As part of his vast oeuvre of over 2,000 prints, this piece exemplifies his Rococo-inflected genre style, blending humor with ethical reflection for enduring appeal.

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...