Ex libris van het Französisches Seminarium te Berlijn 1772

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki created this bookplate for the Französisches Seminarium in Berlin. This etching operates within the 18th-century context of the Enlightenment, a period marked by the rise of scientific reasoning and the questioning of traditional authority. The image of two men tending to saplings evokes a sense of growth, cultivation, and the nurturing of knowledge. But let’s consider, who is invited to partake in this growth? The seminary was an institution dedicated to training young men for religious service, excluding women and reinforcing existing societal hierarchies. The inscription "Dieu donne l'accroissement" which translates to "God gives the increase," suggests that any growth is divinely ordained. But in a subtle undermining of religious authority, it also emphasizes human effort as essential for realizing divine potential. This bookplate reflects both the promise of enlightenment ideals and its limitations, prompting us to consider the complex interplay between progress, exclusion, and the emotional desire for growth.