Zie hier mijn lieve jeugd een twaalftal tafreelen, / Die zonder twijfel sterk uw weetlust zullen streelen, / Maar als gij sterk studeerd gedurig kijkt en ziet, / En 't dan nog niet begrijpt, ach, wijt het mij dan niet 1848 - 1881

Curator: Here we have an intriguing lithograph, dating from between 1848 and 1881, created by the artistic duo Lutkie & Cranenburg. The Rijksmuseum holds this print, whose lengthy title translates to, "See here my dear youth, a dozen scenes / Which no doubt will strongly caress your curiosity / But if you study hard, look and see constantly / And still don't understand, oh, don't blame me for that.” Editor: What strikes me immediately is the sequential, almost storyboard-like quality of the twelve small scenes. They feel like little frozen moments from a play or maybe illustrations plucked from a children’s book. A slightly faded charm permeates the piece, with those gentle blue and yellow washes. Curator: Yes, the lithographic process here is key. Consider how each image, each micro-narrative, had to be painstakingly transferred to the stone, the subtle variations in pressure, the paper quality available at the time – all contribute to the final product and influence the accessibility of such visual storytelling for a broad audience. This was, after all, a means of mass production. Editor: True. And, viewed in that context, it's impressive how they capture gesture and emotion with such simple lines. There’s a real folk-art feel, a certain delightful naivety. I'm drawn to the expressions—are they humorous, or are they gently moralizing? Curator: The relationship between text and image certainly adds another layer to the work’s message. These weren't just illustrations, they were part of a didactic tool meant to impart some kind of wisdom, maybe teach basic literacy, or reinforce social norms for the youth it addressed. The verses below each image provide that direct, often quite prescriptive narrative. Editor: I find that rather poignant, considering we're standing here today analyzing their "storyboard art". It’s also kind of ironic. So much intent packed into such unassuming, and very charming little blocks of time...It makes one consider how even our best-laid plans might be seen through time and culture's transforming lens. Curator: Indeed, and understanding the lithographic production brings even those subtleties to new light.