Twee scènes uit Gellert's Fabeln und Erzählungen 1775

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki created these two scenes from Gellert's Fables and Tales with etching techniques. Note how the crisp lines and contrasting tones define two distinct narrative spaces. On the left, the linear perspective draws us into a social gathering under a canopy of trees, where figures converse at tables. Observe how Chodowiecki uses the repetition of the trees to structure the scene, creating a sense of depth and order. This is juxtaposed by the right scene, a stark encounter between a man and a monstrous figure, whose body is a textured mass, and whose gaze burns with intensity. The division into separate panels invites comparison, suggesting a deeper structural relationship between social discourse and the monstrous or irrational. Chodowiecki uses these visual structures not just to illustrate a story, but to investigate themes of morality and societal behaviour. The precise, controlled lines of the etching medium lend a sense of rational scrutiny to fantastical subjects.