Afkeer in het huwelijk 1788

Curator: Today, we’re looking at "Afkeer in het huwelijk," which translates to "Aversion to Marriage," a print made in 1788 by Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki, currently held in the Rijksmuseum collection. Editor: My initial reaction is… restraint. Despite the provocative title, the monochrome engraving presents a scene of quiet, almost stifled, emotion. The fine lines create a palpable sense of tension. Curator: The starkness in lines certainly contributes. Note how Chodowiecki uses tightly hatched lines to delineate the shadowed areas, creating visual weight. Observe, too, the precise rendering of domestic space, how it shapes the narrative tension, really mirroring this constrained domesticity the title alludes to. Editor: Absolutely, and that leads me to wonder: what’s behind the “aversion”? Are we seeing a scene of marital discord? The symbols here feel heavy: The largely untouched wineglass. Perhaps it alludes to broken vows or unfilled desires. Curator: The wineglass could definitely represent unfilled promises or fractured celebration. The composition itself leads us in many directions with its balance. Note the figure placement; their distance echoes the emotional space between them. Are they symbols, or purely compositional aids? Editor: Surely they resonate on a symbolic level! Marriage itself, historically, is loaded with symbolism and ritual. And if we are thinking culturally about aversion, Chodowiecki perhaps offers insight into the evolving societal perceptions of matrimony during his time. Were social expectations proving too constricting? Curator: A relevant question indeed. Chodowiecki lived during a time of societal shifts and intellectual ferment. How might his engraving be reflective of emerging Romantic sensibilities? It is less a genre or history painting and something so intimately, personally felt. The formal language communicates that, quite strongly. Editor: Considering the context certainly enriches our view of this seemingly simple scene. It's like we’ve caught a glimpse into the interior lives of these characters. Curator: And, by extension, into a moment of societal re-evaluation. Through focused attention to formal choices, we've hopefully highlighted for listeners some enriching approaches to art analysis.