Hier ziet gy kinders heel net en pertinent / De boere almenak verbeeld in deze prent 1725 - 1780

Johannes Kannewet’s print presents a fascinating grid of signs and symbols rendered with the coarse texture typical of early printmaking. The composition is structured around rows of images, each a mini-narrative vignette, suggesting a world seen through the lens of almanac wisdom. The limited colour palette of blues and oranges against the neutral ground enhances the graphic quality, drawing attention to the lines that define each form. This arrangement invites a semiotic interpretation, where each image acts as a signifier. The plow, the lovers, the domestic items -- each speaks to aspects of rural life and perhaps moral tales. The print's form echoes the almanac’s function: to categorize and make sense of the world through symbolic representation. The print challenges the viewer to decode these symbols and understand the cultural values they represent. Consider the structure of the grid itself. It's not just an aesthetic choice, but a way of organizing knowledge, reflecting how people sought to understand their lives through a structured system of signs.