Minerva en Victoria houden Socrates een spiegel voor 1788

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki created this small print, "Minerva and Victory Holding a Mirror to Socrates", using etching techniques. Notice the stark contrast achieved through fine, linear strokes, carefully delineating each figure and element within the scene. Chodowiecki constructs a visual dialogue using classical allegorical figures. The composition invites us to contemplate self-reflection and wisdom. Minerva, the goddess of wisdom, stands tall, almost rigid, alongside Victory. This positioning suggests a hierarchy where enlightenment is supported by triumph. Socrates, in contrast, appears contemplative and reclined. The mirror becomes a signifier of truth, held up to Socrates. This arrangement underscores the philosophical tenet of 'know thyself'. The formal construction, with its emphasis on clarity and order, serves a didactic purpose, reinforcing the Enlightenment values of reason and self-awareness. The linear precision and balanced composition speak to an age that sought to classify and understand the world through rational inquiry.