The posthumous copperplate engravings of Schiller [17] and Goethe [18] represent images of friendship.

Goethe and Schiller's friendship and their inspiring working relationship developed in 1794. Their letters are evidence of their trust, and Goethe even instructed in his will that they be published. He also dedicated two essays to Schiller: Glückliches Ereignis (1817) and Ferneres in Bezug auf mein Verhältnis zu Schiller (1825).

Goethe emphasized the two-sided acceptance of their differences. They recognized these as the driving force for setting processes in motion

“that each had to deal with themselves, which is why great love and trust, need and loyalty were required to a high degree in order to allow a friendly relationship to work together permanently without any disturbances".

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The two copperplate engravings belong to the collection of Peter Boerner, who earned his PhD in 1954 with a thesis on Goethe's diaries from 1776 to 1782, under the supervision of Ernst Beutler. In June of that same year, Beutler wrote to the German-American Germanist and English scholar Victor Lange:

“If you hear of any college or university looking for an instructor, please think of Dr. Boerner. He is the only student I have admitted to my doctoral program, a highly reliable character, hard-working, intelligent, skilled, and loyal. He wants to go to America […].