Werther ziet vanuit de deuropening hoe Lotte brood snijdt voor de kinderen c. 1864

Johann Leonhard Raab created this piece, "Werther ziet vanuit de deuropening hoe Lotte brood snijdt voor de kinderen", using engraving. Note how the composition is divided into distinct spaces, the foreground domestic scene contrasting with the background view through the doorway. Raab employs a careful arrangement of figures and objects to direct the viewer's eye, creating a sense of depth and intimacy. The texture achieved through engraving adds a tactile quality, enhancing the visual experience. Consider the gaze of Werther, positioned in the doorway. He's an observer, separated yet intimately connected to the central scene of Lotte and the children. This spatial arrangement underscores themes of longing, exclusion, and the unattainable, prevalent in Romantic literature. The formal structure of the artwork mirrors the emotional and narrative tensions within the story it depicts.