Twee voorstellingen uit de verhalen van Wilhelm Gottlieb Becker 1797

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki created these two images from Wilhelm Gottlieb Becker’s stories, using etching as his medium. Chodowiecki lived through the Enlightenment, a period marked by the rise of reason and individualism. Here, the characters move through social spaces that dictate their interactions. Note the women’s elaborate dresses and the men’s formal attire, indicative of the social status and norms of the time. The images hint at narratives where social expectations and gender roles are prominent. What do these interactions tell us about how men and women were expected to behave? Chodowiecki’s work captures moments of social life, inviting us to consider the power dynamics and cultural norms that shaped people’s lives then, and continue to influence us today. They encourage reflection on how individuals navigate societal expectations and express their identities within set boundaries.