Leert / kindren! door deez' prent of prijs / De leeskunst / naar der dichtren wijs' 1831 - 1854

Editor: This woodcut print, dating from 1831 to 1854, is titled "Leert / kindren! door deez' prent of prijs / De leeskunst / naar der dichtren wijs'" and was created by Erve H. Rynders. It’s held at the Rijksmuseum. It's a series of little scenes, almost like an early comic strip, with what looks like moral lessons attached. What visual echoes do you notice? Curator: The immediate impression is indeed narrative; the arrangement invites us to read the scenes sequentially. And the verses! Consider how images paired with text create enduring cultural memories. We’re invited to learn and remember, yes? But consider the individual images, the children skating, the interior scenes – do any strike you as recurring symbols or archetypes? Editor: The repeated presence of adults watching the children...there's almost an omniscient observer feeling to it. A sense of guidance or maybe control? Curator: Precisely! These visual echoes reinforce the social structures of the time. The ‘all-seeing’ elder is not simply an individual but an embodiment of societal expectations, visually transmitted. Each scene encapsulates not just a simple story but an entire belief system. Does this resonate in our contemporary media-saturated environment? Editor: Absolutely! It's fascinating to see these symbolic representations distilled in what seems like children's entertainment. Like training for culture. Curator: Visual encoding is all around us. Not unlike our internet memes; compact containers carrying larger cultural attitudes through time. Reflecting on these echoes enriches our contemporary understanding of images. Editor: I see that now. It highlights the cultural through-lines, like echoes, in a different way. Thank you!