Two Scenes from "Clarissa" 1795

Curator: This is Daniel Chodowiecki's "Two Scenes from 'Clarissa'", a detailed print held here at the Harvard Art Museums. It seems to be illustrating two pivotal moments from a story. Editor: The composition immediately strikes me with its contrast. The stark angles and almost empty space on the left, against the crowded softness on the right. A very sharp binary. Curator: The left scene depicts a woman kneeling before another, possibly begging. Given the story's themes, it suggests dependence, perhaps desperation within social constraints. Editor: Yes, and the line work! The engraver's tools give a very precise, cold feel to the scene. You can almost feel the social and familial chill in the air. The second scene is full of life and feeling, though. Curator: Indeed. Death or perhaps simply resignation. Chodowiecki captures a very specific emotional tenor of the era, of duty and loss. Editor: Beautifully observed. Though the scenes are separated they work in concert to create a visual story. Curator: A moving representation of the human condition as expressed through 18th century sensibilities.