´T onschuldige vermaak der kindren, / Is aangenaam en kan niet hindren, / Maar 't schrikverwekkend onbescheid / Is 't dat de jeugd vermaak ontzeid by Johan Noman

´T onschuldige vermaak der kindren, / Is aangenaam en kan niet hindren, / Maar 't schrikverwekkend onbescheid / Is 't dat de jeugd vermaak ontzeid

1806 - 1830

Johan Noman's Profile Picture

Johan Noman

1833

Location

Rijksmuseum
0:00
0:00

Artwork details

Medium
drawing, print, paper, engraving
Dimensions
height 389 mm, width 316 mm
Location
Rijksmuseum
Copyright
Rijks Museum: Open Domain

Tags

#drawing#narrative-art#print#paper#romanticism#genre-painting#engraving

About this artwork

This print by Johan Noman, made without a specified date, uses etching to explore the relationship between innocence, pleasure, and authority in childhood. The print is divided into four scenes, each accompanied by a rhyming couplet. These verses contrast harmless pastimes with those deemed inappropriate, subtly hinting at the constraints placed upon children's play. The images portray children playing games, riding a rocking horse, dressing as a ghost and playing blind man's buff. The verses underscore the didactic intent of the artwork, framing certain behaviors as acceptable while cautioning against others, reflecting the era’s emphasis on moral instruction. Noman’s work offers a glimpse into the social values and expectations projected onto children, revealing a world where pleasure is carefully managed and innocence is both celebrated and regulated. It evokes a sense of nostalgia tinged with a critical awareness of the power dynamics inherent in representations of childhood.

Comments

Share your thoughts