Zie hier wat jonge knapen spelen: Hun oefening zal u niet vervelen 1806 - 1830

Curator: Standing before us is a fascinating print titled "Zie hier wat jonge knapen spelen: Hun oefening zal u niet vervelen," roughly translated to “See here what young lads are playing at: Their exercise will not bore you”. Produced between 1806 and 1830, this woodcut offers a glimpse into childhood in the Netherlands. Editor: My immediate reaction is one of delight! It's like a charming storyboard. There's a bustling quality to these little scenes. They give a sense of structured merriment but with a touch of regimentation that is indicative of this historic time period. Curator: The use of woodcut lends a stark simplicity, focusing our attention on the gestures and social interactions within each vignette. The images appear to reference a time when daily life demanded different pastimes. Think of how physical those activities are! Editor: Absolutely! Considering the context, Johan Noman, the printmaker, might have been aiming to reinforce certain values through depicting these games. Things such as promoting healthy recreation for young people, in ways available to all classes? Were the exercises as pleasurable as suggested? Curator: Possibly! This might show the way in which children have always engaged with the world, with symbols, metaphors, and physicality. Look at the image showing what could be called "blind man's bluff". The circle itself is an ancient archetype of wholeness, eternity. Do you notice how it contains potential chaos at play? Editor: Indeed! And placing such a diverse range of social interactions side-by-side implies a social commentary, a comparison between them all. In the scenes there appears to be inclusion. We see varying stages of ability represented; all kids seem invited to the exercises being had! Curator: So, looking again at this "exercise" for young boys brings questions to mind, doesn't it? Could the boys have read messages into those scenarios even if no message was intended at the time of production? What games did they go back to again and again? What symbolic images did they bring into those games? Editor: The print now feels so much more dynamic than just a quaint historical artifact. It offers such fertile ground for pondering the history of play and social norms, and their continuity and contrasts to present day norms. Curator: Yes, seeing what these young chaps may have enjoyed centuries ago, makes one contemplate childhoods throughout history and what truly transcends time and circumstance.