Zes voorstellingen uit Sternes empfindsame Reise 1783

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki created these six scenes from Sterne’s Sentimental Journey using etching, a popular printmaking technique, sometime in the late 18th century. Chodowiecki was a Huguenot, a French Protestant, living in Berlin at a time of immense social and political change, and he was known for depicting scenes of everyday life. These six vignettes offer us a glimpse into the gendered and class-based social dynamics of 18th-century Europe. Each scene encapsulates a different emotional encounter. They range from moments of charity to flirtatious exchanges. Consider the ways in which women are portrayed. Often they are the recipients of male generosity, or objects of male attention. What does it mean to frame women as primarily emotional beings? What's unspoken in these ostensibly sentimental scenes? Chodowiecki's work invites us to reflect on the complex interplay between emotion, social status, and gender roles in the 1700s. It’s a reminder that even sentimental gestures can be laden with power dynamics and societal expectations.