Oefening in geduld en verachting van rijkdom 1773

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki created this etching, "Exercise in Patience and Contempt of Wealth," which captures a moment of high drama around a card table. Made in the late 18th century, the scene reflects the social anxieties of its time. We see men gambling by candlelight, one of whom throws his cards in the air in a fit of frustration, perhaps having lost everything. The image speaks to the period's complex relationship with wealth, and the rising merchant classes in Europe. While the title suggests a moral lesson about patience and disdain for riches, the scene itself is charged with tension. Is it a critique of the leisured classes, or a caution against the perils of unchecked ambition? Understanding this image requires us to delve into the social history of 18th-century Europe. Contemporary literature, moral guides, and economic treatises can all provide valuable insights into the cultural context that shaped Chodowiecki's work.