Kijk kinderen! zie deez' print, / Die zal u leerzaam wezen, / Want wetenschap en kunst, / Moet gij op aard niet vrezen 1828 - 1853

Curator: What strikes me about this engraving, "Kijk kinderen! zie deez' print..." from the early 19th century, is its presentation of a world both familiar and rapidly changing. Editor: Yes, exactly! Created by Broese & Comp, it's essentially a sheet of smaller images, like a comic book page, each with a little scene and text. I immediately feel transported back in time, but there's almost a… restlessness to it. What stories do you think these vignettes are trying to tell? Curator: These aren’t just individual scenes; they are carefully chosen representations meant to instruct and reflect on aspects of daily life. See how various trades and social activities are represented – the apothecary, the artist, even the gravedigger. Consider the broader symbolic function. What do these representations suggest about early 19th century values and anxieties? Editor: Hmmm…so the juxtaposition of images…the artist next to the undertaker perhaps… could it be commenting on life and death, creativity and mortality? Curator: Precisely. And notice how the text accompanying each image is not merely descriptive. It’s directive, moralizing, even. In essence, this print is a form of cultural memory, presenting archetypes meant to instill particular values and knowledge in the young. How do you think this particular way of communicating through image and text resonates even now? Editor: That’s fascinating. Today we are still using visual shortcuts for complex themes, like in graphic novels. Curator: Indeed, while this work is explicitly didactic, and tailored to a different time, it underscores how visual language continues to shape our perceptions and inform cultural values across generations. Editor: It’s like each scene is a memory trigger. Thank you. I never looked at it this way!