Jozientje en Willy bekijken de muizenstad 1894

Willem Wenckebach created this drawing, Jozientje en Willy bekijken de muizenstad, with pen and ink. At the turn of the 20th century, as rapid industrialization and urbanization were reshaping Dutch society, there was a renewed interest in folklore and fairy tales. Wenckebach's illustration transports us to an imagined world, a ‘muizenstad,’ or mice-city, where the boundaries between childhood innocence and the complexities of society blur. Consider the emotional weight carried by the depiction of Jozientje and Willy, on the cusp of discovery, venturing into this unknown territory. The artist invites us to reflect on the social dynamics inherent in children's stories. Do they perpetuate traditional representations or develop alternative narratives? Wenckebach provides a lens through which we might examine the historical and cultural contexts that continue to shape our understanding of childhood and society.