Scène in het Berlijnse ziekenhuis Charité 1736 - 1801

This print, made by Daniel Chodowiecki, probably in the late 1700s, presents a scene in the Charité Hospital in Berlin. It was realized using etching, a printmaking technique in which acid is used to cut into a metal plate, which is then inked and used to make impressions on paper. The etched lines give a sense of immediacy. Think of this print not as a singular image, but as one of many that could be pulled. The scene of suffering, attended by figures of authority, acquires a certain mechanical reproduciblity. In a way, Chodowiecki has turned human suffering into a kind of commodity, made cheaply and distributed widely. Note the contrast with the image at the top showing a knight on horseback. In understanding an artwork like this, we need to think about its materials, making, and social context, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.