Watchmaker Uhl from Kehl 

Johann Heinrich Hasselhorst created this etching, "Watchmaker Uhl from Kehl," capturing the likeness of a local craftsman. Made in Germany, it reflects a broader 19th-century artistic interest in depicting everyday people, moving away from exclusively portraying the elite. Kehl, as a border town, had a unique socio-economic makeup. Hasselhorst, through institutions like the Städel Museum, was part of a burgeoning art world, responding to new audiences and ideas about representation. The image’s visual codes – Uhl’s direct gaze and slightly disheveled appearance – hint at an honest, unvarnished portrayal of labor. Is this a celebration or critique? By looking into records of Kehl's trades, local histories, and Hasselhorst's other works, we can better understand how this image engaged with the social realities and institutional frameworks of its time. Artworks like this remind us that their meanings are deeply rooted in their original contexts.