Grootmoeder Catharine omhelst Rudeli 1781

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki created this etching titled, *Grandmother Catharine Embraces Rudeli*, sometime in the 18th century. It captures a tender moment of familial affection. The artist, who was of Polish-German-Huguenot descent, lived during the Enlightenment, a period that emphasized reason and individualism, but also saw the rise of sentimentalism in art and literature. This piece beautifully embodies that era's focus on domestic virtue and the emotional bonds within families. The grandmother, likely a matriarch, embraces a young child as others look on from the bedside. The setting suggests a modest domestic interior, reinforcing the emphasis on familial love over material wealth. The engraving also offers a glimpse into the gender roles and expectations of the time, portraying the grandmother as the nurturing figurehead, central to the family's emotional well-being. It’s as much a depiction of a moment as it is a statement on the values of 18th-century society.