De winter 1874

This print, "De Winter," likely dates to the 19th century and was made by De Ruyter & Meijer. It’s a lithograph, a process that allows for relatively quick reproduction of an image. The images show the seasonal activities related to winter: bringing in wood to burn, ice skating, sledding, making snowmen. Look closely, and you’ll see the images are accompanied by little rhymes. It’s a very hands-on, labor-intensive way of life that’s depicted here; it shows a world where people were quite reliant on their ability to withstand the cold and to put up stores for the winter. You might consider this print an example of folk art, or even a proto-comic strip. It speaks to the era’s growing popular market for images, distributed widely, and intended for everyday enjoyment. Appreciating this artwork requires us to consider its material, its making, and its social context.