Twee huwelijksaanzoeken

About this artwork

Twee prenten afkomstig uit een serie van twaalf huwelijksaanzoeken (tweede serie). De scènes zijn op een plaat geëtst. Deze serie is ook gebruikt in: Taschenbuch zum Nutzen und Vergnügen fürs Jahr 1782. Göttingen: Johann Christian Dieterich.

Art Historical Context

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowie, a prolific Polish-German engraver and illustrator active in the late 18th century, created *Twee huwelijksaan* ("Two Marriage Proposals") in 1781. This intimate etching, measuring just 129 mm high by 145 mm wide, exemplifiesodowiecki's mastery of small-scale genre scenes, blending Rococo elegance with Enlightenment wit. Renowned for his moralistic vignettes of everyday life, he often depicted social customs with subtle humor, making his works popular in books and almanacs across Europe. The print features two scenes etched onto a single plate, drawn from Chodowiecki's second series of twelve marriage proposal illustrations. These captured the awkward, hopeful moments of courtship in bourgeois society, offering lighthearted commentary on romance and matrimony. Notably, the series appeared in the 1782 edition of *Taschenbuch zum Nutzen und Vergnügen* ("Pocketbook for Use and Pleasure"), published in Göttingen by Johann Christian Dieterich, highlighting its role in affordable, educational literature for the educated public. Etching allowed Chodowiecki to achieve fine lines and expressive details on a modest scale, ideal for reproduction in such periodicals. This artwork reflects 18th-century cultural fascination with domestic rituals, inviting viewers to chuckle at timeless human vulnerabilities in love. A charming window into pre-Romantic social norms!

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...