Twee scènes uit Gellert's Fabeln und Erzählungen 1775

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki created this print titled 'Twee scènes uit Gellert's Fabeln und Erzählungen'. Born in the historically fraught city of Danzig, now Gdansk, Chodowiecki's life was shaped by the complex cultural and political landscape of 18th-century Europe. As an engraver in Berlin, he captured the era's social mores, often with a moralizing tone reflecting the influence of Enlightenment ideals on the rising middle class. Here, we see two scenes: one with a ghostly figure and another depicting a fraught domestic interaction. Chodowiecki engages with the social anxieties of his time. His work touches on themes of class and morality. The emotional tenor of these scenes—the palpable fear, the tension in the domestic space—speaks to the artist's understanding of human psychology. Chodowiecki’s images prompt reflection on the stories we tell ourselves about gender, class, and power.