Dees beesten wreed, doen niemand leed 1816 - 1836

This naive print, titled “Dees beesten wreed, doen niemand leed,” or “These beasts are cruel, do no harm,” was produced using woodcut. The artist, De Vri & Van Stegeren Clement, printed it from a block of wood, likely in the Netherlands. The stark contrast between the black ink and the off-white paper is characteristic of woodcut prints, where the artist carves away the negative space around the design. What remains is inked and pressed onto the page, leaving a relief image. The deliberate, methodical process of carving each line results in a distinctive aesthetic: a clear, graphic quality that emphasizes the form and texture of the animals. Consider the contrast between the lion, elephant, unicorn, and deer depicted here. The images are presented in a simple, direct style that makes them feel accessible. This reflects the print’s context as a popular medium, intended for a wide audience, rather than an elite one. The labor-intensive nature of woodcut speaks to a time before mass production, where craftsmanship was central to the creation of images, a direct link between maker and consumer.