Hertog Adalbert wordt door zijn hofdames het bed in gedwongen

About this artwork

**Hertog Adalbert wordt door zijn hofd het bed in gedw** (Duke Adalbert Forced into Bed by His Court), a delicate etching by Daniel Nikolaus Chowiecki from 1794, captures whimsical moment from medieval legend. Measuring just 128mm by 76mm, this print depicts the nobleman Adalbert playfully coerced into bed by his lively court ladies, blending humor with courtly intrigue. Chodcki, a prolific Prussian artist and director of the Berlin of Arts, excelled in such vignettes, drawing from literary sources to evoke the spirit of ancient tales. Created as an illustration for Leonhard Wächter's *Sagen der Vorzeit von Veit Weber* (Legends of Ancient Times), volume 5, published in Berlin by Friedrich Maurer in 1795, the etching reflects the late Enlightenment fascination with folklore and moral fables. These stories, penned under the pseudonym Veit Weber, romanticized medieval Europe, offering escapism amid revolutionary upheavals across the continent. Chodowiecki's etching technique shines here: its fine, expressive lines convey dynamic movement and subtle expressions on this small scale, perfect for book embellishment. A master of Rococo-inflected narrative scenes transitioning to Neoclassicism, he produced thousands of prints like this, making high art accessible to readers and preserving cultural narratives for generations.