Sledetocht 1773

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki made this pen and ink drawing called Sledetocht. As the title suggests, we see a sleigh ride with a person lying in the sleigh. In eighteenth century Europe, sleigh rides were popular amongst the aristocracy. In the 1700’s, many members of the upper classes traveled in ornate sleighs, with footmen. Here, the riders are clearly privileged. They are taking part in a traditional winter pastime. The image may have originally been made as an illustration for a book, or a print for a magazine. Chodowiecki was from Poland, but he worked in Berlin. The artist became the director of the Berlin Academy of Arts in 1797. This was a time in which the academy system was becoming increasingly important. The academies controlled artistic taste by teaching students how to paint ‘correctly’ and by holding large, public exhibitions. As art historians, we can consult sources such as letters, diaries, newspaper articles, and institutional records to learn more about the social conditions that shaped this image.