Bruno sprekend tot een groep kinderen 1857

Johan Bernhard Wittkamp made this print, "Bruno Speaking to a Group of Children," using etching, a printmaking technique. This small image presents a narrative moment, likely intended to convey a moral or religious lesson to its viewers. Looking at the image, we see an elderly man, presumably Bruno, surrounded by a group of children in what appears to be a humble, rural setting. The cross behind him indicates a religious context, possibly a lesson about faith or sacrifice. Wittkamp was working in the Netherlands during a time of significant social and religious change, and prints like these were often used to promote specific values or beliefs, distributed via religious institutions or educational networks. To understand this image, we need to consider the role of religious instruction in 19th-century Dutch society and how such images were used to shape public opinion. Studying religious texts, social histories, and print culture archives would help us better understand the meaning of this modest but revealing work of art.