Girl Sleeping on Settee 1784

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki made this small engraving of a girl sleeping on a settee sometime in the late 18th century. Its small size and detailed execution speak to its original function as a book illustration. The image offers us a window into the domestic life of the German middle class at the time. We see a young woman, likely exhausted from her daily routines, taking a moment of respite on an elegant piece of furniture. The settee itself, with its ornate design, reflects the growing affluence and taste for comfort among the bourgeoisie. Chodowiecki, who was deeply influenced by Enlightenment ideals, often used his art to comment on the social structures of his time. This work, while seemingly simple, may be a subtle nod to the changing roles and expectations of women within the emerging middle class. To fully understand the context of Chodowiecki's work, we can turn to period literature, social histories, and studies of the decorative arts. It is through this kind of interdisciplinary research that we can begin to appreciate the rich social and cultural meanings embedded in even the most unassuming artworks.