Hendrik I ontvangt de broer van de overleden koning Koenraad I in zijn tuin 1795

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki made this print, Hendrik I ontvangt de broer van de overleden koning Koenraad I in zijn tuin, using etching. Chodowiecki lived through the Enlightenment, a period of social upheaval and philosophical change. This work illustrates a historic moment in a private encounter. A group of figures are gathered in a garden, a space that seems designed as much for privacy as for public display. What are the dynamics of power and negotiation being staged here? How is the setting – a garden, a space of cultivation and controlled nature – influencing these interactions? The artist focuses on the gestures and expressions of the figures. The image evokes questions about succession, legitimacy, and the personal dimensions of political life. Consider the role of such artworks in shaping public perceptions of historical events and figures during the Enlightenment.