Groeien van het menselijk verstand 1765 - 1806

This is Johann David Schleuen the First's "Groeien van het menselijk verstand," an etching made in the eighteenth century. It’s a study in contrasts and progression, laid out in a four-panel grid that invites a structural reading. Notice how Schleuen uses line and space to create distinct environments within each panel, which seem to represent stages of human understanding. The top left shows animals and figures interacting in an outdoor setting, rendered with dense, cross-hatched lines. This contrasts sharply with the lower left panel, where a sparsely decorated interior is depicted with clean, receding lines, creating a sense of depth. The composition of each panel directs the viewer's eye through a sequence, suggesting a narrative development. The etching style itself, with its stark blacks and whites and emphasis on linear detail, mirrors the Enlightenment's focus on clarity and rationality. Schleuen, through this piece, prompts us to consider how perception itself is structured.