Children with a Picture-book 1880 - 1910

Jacob Simon Hendrik Kever painted "Children with a Picture-book" with oil on canvas sometime in the late 19th century. The dark interior and the children’s modest clothing suggest a scene of working-class domesticity. Paintings such as these reflect both social realities and new aspirations. By this time, the industrial revolution had transformed the lives of many children, some of whom had access to education and leisure. Through the sentimental image of children looking at a book, we can see the rising value placed on childhood innocence and the importance of education. However, the image also invites us to reflect on the power of art institutions such as museums. By acquiring and displaying such images, museums contributed to defining and shaping the very notions of childhood and family that they seemed merely to reflect. To fully appreciate such complexities, we can consult historical archives, census records, and educational materials from the period, connecting art with the broader social and institutional contexts that gave it meaning.