Kronos trekt een doek opzij by Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki

Kronos trekt een doek opzij

1780

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Artwork details

Medium
print, engraving
Dimensions
height 106 mm, width 129 mm
Location
Rijksmuseum
Copyright
Rijks Museum: Open Domain

Tags

#portrait#allegory#print#old engraving style#sketchbook drawing#history-painting#academic-art#engraving

About this artwork

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki produced this print of Kronos using etching in 1781. It served as the cover for a Göttingen calendar, a popular form of publication at the time. The image is rich with classical references. Kronos, the Greek personification of time, unveils the year, symbolizing the unfolding of events. It reflects the 18th-century fascination with classical antiquity, indicative of the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason and order. Made in Germany, this print also hints at the growing print culture and the rise of a literate middle class eager for knowledge and entertainment. The calendar itself, sold by local publishers, was an institution that structured daily life, marking both the passage of time and the rhythm of society. To truly understand this work, one might delve into the history of almanacs, the social context of Göttingen in the late 18th century, and the visual language of Neoclassicism. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.

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