Als gij o lieve jeugd! uw lessen hebt geleerd, / Dan zij deez' prent het loon waarmee gij wordt vereerd / Quand vous aurez appris, enfans, votre leçon, / que zette image soit alors pour vous un don 1856 - 1900

This print by Glenisson & Zonen presents us with a grid of sixteen vignettes, each bordered and accompanied by text in two languages. The restricted palette of yellow, green and purple flattens the scenes, reducing depth. The overall impression is one of orderliness and instruction. Each small scene presents a slice of pastoral life. However, these are not simply quaint depictions, but function as signs within a larger framework. The composition—the arrangement in a grid—implies a system, a set of lessons perhaps. The limited colour scheme serves to unify the disparate scenes, suggesting a cohesive ideology. The print functions much like a structured language, with each scene acting as a morpheme, contributing to a larger cultural narrative. This artwork then, is not merely a decorative object, but a carefully constructed system of signs aimed at imparting values. The very formalism of the piece underscores this intent, reminding us that even in art, form is never separate from content.