Bedelares met twee kinderen 1764

This is Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki’s etching, "Bedelares met twee kinderen," or "Beggar Woman with Two Children." Chodowiecki lived in 18th-century Berlin, a time of growing social inequality. He was known for his detailed engravings that often depicted scenes of everyday life, reflecting the era's social realities. This work encapsulates the vulnerability of women and children in poverty. The image, rendered in delicate lines, evokes a sense of intimacy and pathos. The woman, presumably a mother, is depicted with her children. Their worn clothing and postures speak to their hardship. Chodowiecki’s work humanizes figures often overlooked or marginalized. Does the image challenge or reinforce existing social hierarchies? The intimate portrayal certainly elicits empathy, but it also reflects the conventions of representing the poor as passive and helpless. Consider your own emotional response. Does it move you to compassion, or does it provoke discomfort with the realities of poverty?