Pastor Gros en zijn boze vrouw 1776

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki created this print, Pastor Gros en zijn boze vrouw, using etching techniques. The duality of the image strikes us first: on the left, the interior is softened by candlelight illuminating a couple in a domestic setting, whereas on the right, the angular lines define the tension between the pastor and his wife, visually dividing the composition. The contrast in tones accentuates the narrative – domestic tranquility versus marital strife. The scene is not merely a depiction of conflict; it’s a structured commentary on power dynamics within marriage and religion, rendered through the formal devices of line and composition. The woman’s confrontational stance, with the light source emphasizing her gesture, disrupts conventional expectations of gender roles and challenges the harmony suggested in the first scene. It invites reflection on the disruption of societal and domestic norms.