Fotoreproductie van een schilderij van drie jongens die geschoold worden door een priester, door Axel Helsted before 1879

This is a reproduction made by Johannes Jaeger, after a painting by Axel Helsted, of three boys being taught by a priest. Without a firm date, we can only assume it was made somewhere in Europe, sometime in the late nineteenth century. The scene invites us to think about the historical context in which childhood, education, and religion were understood. Compulsory education was beginning in Europe at this time, but religious instruction often remained at the heart of the curriculum, and was thought to be crucial for the moral development of children. Note the ways the boys are arranged in relation to the priest, with two standing attentively and one closer, perhaps more privileged. To understand this image further, one could research the history of education in Europe, the role of the church in schools, and how the relationship between teacher and pupil was presented in art. Only with knowledge of its time can we understand an image like this.