Hier hebt gy agttien fraaije prentjes, / Ziet lieve kindren deze ventjes (...) 1791 - 1812

This print, titled ‘Here you have eighteen beautiful pictures’ was made by Jacobus Thompson. On a single sheet, eighteen small scenes are arranged in a grid, each a tiny window into everyday life. The linear quality of the engraving, with its stark contrast between black ink and the white paper, emphasizes the basic geometric shapes within each frame. Each scene uses the same formal language of line and shape, creating a rhythmic pattern across the whole print. Within this structure we glimpse children playing, people working the land, and moments of daily activity. The rigid grid contrasts with the spontaneity of life that the images depict. The grid-like structure imposes order, categorising a diverse range of human experiences. The artist seems to suggest the underlying structures that organize and give meaning to everyday life. It invites us to look closer at how individual moments fit into larger patterns.