Artwork
The Fortunate Rescue
The Fortunate Rescue is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki. It dates from 1791 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
A woman in a long dress clutches a man’s arm as he points to a distant ship. His hat flies off in the wind.
This etching tells a simple but dramatic rescue story from 1791. The couple stands on a rocky shore, waves crashing below. Chodowiecki uses fine lines to show wind and water, making the scene feel real.
Curious about how he did it? Look up etching—the technique he used here.
Overview
Created in 1791, *The Fortunate Rescue* is an etching by Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki, a German artist of Huguenot and Polish descent who worked chiefly in Berlin and later headed the Berlin Academy of Art. The work exemplifies his reputation as a foremost practitioner of the etching medium in the late eighteenth century.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a tense moment on a craggy shoreline: a woman in an elongated gown grasps a man's arm as he gestures toward a ship on the horizon, his hat caught in a gust. The composition suggests an imminent rescue, emphasizing human urgency against the indifferent sea.
Technique & Style
Chodowiecki employs the fine, incised lines characteristic of his etching practice to render wind‑blown hair, billowing fabric, and frothy waves. The meticulous linear work creates a sense of depth and movement, while the narrative clarity reflects his broader commitment to detailed, story‑telling prints.
History & Provenance
Produced during Chodowiecki’s most prolific period, the print was likely circulated among the educated circles of Berlin’s artistic community. Although specific ownership records are scarce, the work remains associated with the artist’s oeuvre as a representative example of his late‑eighteenth‑century output.
Artist & collection
Artist
Daniel Niklaus Chodowiecki (16 October 1726 – 7 February 1801) was a German painter and printmaker of Huguenot and Polish ancestry, who is most famous as an etcher.
