Graaf Friedrich valt de leeuw aan, voor hen ligt de man van stro 1788

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki made this etching depicting Count Friedrich’s encounter with a lion. The scene's composed of delicate lines incised into a metal plate, then printed onto paper. Notice the contrast between the Count's sturdy armor and the gruesome straw man, a plaything for the lion. Chodowiecki's mastery of the etching technique allows him to render minute details. From the crowd of onlookers to the texture of the lion's mane, and the count's armor, each element is carefully delineated, creating a scene that is both dramatic and strangely artificial. Consider the labor involved, the skilled hand of the artist meticulously crafting each line. Etchings like this were relatively accessible, compared to paintings, but still required considerable expertise. Appreciating the work that goes into such prints invites us to reflect on the wider world of making, and how techniques of production, and aesthetics intersect.