Du bist schläfrig (Thou art inclined to sleep)

Executed as an etching on laid paper, the work relies on acid‑etched lines to render delicate textures and precise contours. Chodowiecki’s handling of line demonstrates a controlled yet expressive hand, achieving fine detail in the figures’ clothing and the surrounding vegetation while maintaining the flat tonal qualities typical of late‑18th‑century German printmaking.

Chodowiecki, a prominent Berlin artist of Huguenot and Polish descent, produced this piece during a prolific period that solidified his reputation as a leading etcher. Though specific ownership records are scarce, the print aligns with his broader output that circulated widely among collectors and academies in the late Enlightenment era.

The image reflects the artist’s sustained interest in everyday scenes and the nuances of social interaction, a theme recurrent in his oeuvre. Set against the backdrop of an Enlightenment‑informed Berlin, the work engages with contemporary tastes for genre subjects that combined moral reflection with accessible, domestic imagery.