Philippus legt aan de Egyptische eunuch op zijn wagen de Schrift uit 1764 - 1843

Georges Malbeste created this print titled, *Philippus legt aan de Egyptische eunuch op zijn wagen de Schrift uit*. The composition is immediately striking for its division of labor; one man walks beside two horses, another walks beside a carriage where two men sit, and the scene occurs alongside other anonymous men. It is the study of a social system. The use of line, particularly in the rendering of musculature and drapery, emphasizes a classical ideal of the human form. This recalls Enlightenment ideals, as Malbeste, working during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, engages with the philosophical currents of his time. The detailed etching and the emphasis on structure and clarity, function not merely as aesthetic choices, but as tools for exploring the Enlightenment’s fascination with reason and order.