Three Children (recto); Sketches of Head, Eyes, Lips, and Flowers (verso) c. 18th century

Daniel Chodowiecki made this ink drawing entitled ‘Three Children’ at some point in the late 18th century. The image offers us a glimpse into the lives of children in 18th-century Europe, but it also raises questions about social class and representation. Chodowiecki was a very prolific printmaker and illustrator in Berlin, and was well-regarded for his detailed and often sentimental depictions of everyday life. Consider the fashions of the time, the head coverings, and the activities the children seem to be engaged in, perhaps some kind of handwork or game. In whose eyes, we might ask, are such images created, and what social function might they have served? Were they intended to ennoble the laboring classes, or perhaps to elicit sympathy from wealthier patrons? Further research into the artist's biography, as well as the social and economic conditions of 18th-century Prussia, might shed light on these questions. Ultimately, the meaning of this artwork is contingent upon its historical and institutional context.