Blad uit De Lof der Zotheid 1780

Editor: This is a print entitled "Blad uit De Lof der Zotheid," dating back to 1780, by Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki. It's an engraving on paper, and it reminds me of a storyboard with all the small vignettes arranged on the single page. How would you approach its composition? Curator: I would focus first on how the grid operates. Notice the strong rectangular frame of the entire print, and then within it the equally proportioned rectangles, each housing a discrete scene. The balance created through this strict arrangement creates a visual tension with the highly animated, almost chaotic figures within. Editor: So you're saying the form imposes a sense of order on the otherwise frenetic energy of the depicted figures? Curator: Precisely. And consider the lines themselves. The artist uses hatching and cross-hatching with masterful precision to create subtle gradations of tone. Where do you see that at play in the print? Editor: I see it most noticeably in the shading of the figures' clothing and in the backgrounds of each scene. Curator: Indeed. The way the artist manipulates line weight and density not only defines form but also directs the viewer's eye, doesn't it? How is Chodowiecki employing rhythm to draw the viewer into these miniature scenes? Editor: I'd say through the repetition of figures in similar poses and the mirroring effect he creates between some of the scenes. I also learned the role of geometric framing in creating emphasis and interest in this Romantic Era engraving.