Verstoring van de huwelijksgeloften 1787

Curator: This intricate etching, titled "Verstoring van de huwelijksgeloften" or "Disturbance of the Marriage Vows", dates back to 1787 and is the work of Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki. It resides here at the Rijksmuseum. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: It's certainly provocative. The narrative unfolds across what appears to be a diptych. There is an odd tension between the formality of the wedding scene on the left and the… shall we say, unraveling, on the right. It feels almost like a moral lesson play. Curator: Indeed. Chodowiecki, known for his acute observations of 18th-century society, often used such visual devices to comment on the hypocrisies and hidden truths of the era. The left panel, presenting the wedding ceremony, includes familiar symbolic characters. Note the embracing of a couple by what seems to be their child. Look at the image on the wall above the group. This stands for stability. Yet, to the right… Editor: The bedroom scene becomes a spectacle. Curtains are drawn back to reveal what appears to be… well, marital infidelity. What statement could this marriage disruption represent for audiences during that era? What values did Chodowiecki suggest are eroding in the Age of Enlightenment? Curator: It raises many questions. Consider how marriages, then more often social and economic alliances, could mask underlying desires and anxieties. I am mostly intrigued by the way that light and shadow dance together within this framework—a stark reminder that light shines, regardless of a looming darkness, over sacred matrimony, a recurring image from that period. Editor: Yes, and this juxtaposition speaks to the role of art during this era, the Romantic era, as an indicator of these societal anxieties, making the private transgressions publicly known. This piece might also highlight shifting attitudes towards love and relationships in 18th-century Europe, a time of social upheaval. Curator: For me, Chodowiecki’s work emphasizes the vulnerability of societal constructs, how appearances can fracture under pressure. It’s an unsettling vision but a very potent one. Editor: I agree. It makes you question what remains unseen in these so-called idealized depictions. And to consider the complex stories behind the conventions and social performances on display.