Klein Duimpje en de Gelaarsde kat c. 1822 - 1849

This print, "Klein Duimpje en de Gelaarsde kat", was made by Jan de Lange II in the Netherlands sometime in the first half of the 19th century. As a book printer and seller based in Deventer, De Lange would have been part of a growing industry in the Netherlands, producing literary works for a wider audience. This print presents us with a series of vignettes depicting scenes from well-known fairy tales. The stories of "Tom Thumb" and "Puss in Boots," are presented as if on a storyboard. In this way, De Lange offers us a fascinating look at the way stories circulated and gained popularity through print media at this time. The fairy tale genre allowed the rising merchant class to instruct their children on moral and social issues. Were the stories to be understood as social guidance or political critique? By researching the history of printing and publishing in the Netherlands, we gain a deeper understanding of the cultural significance of these images.