Kruipende dieren (slangen) 1865 - 1875

George Lodewijk Funke made this lithograph titled "Crawling animals (snakes)" sometime between 1836 and 1885. It’s part of a series called "New Dutch Children's Prints." This print gives us a glimpse into 19th-century Dutch attitudes toward the natural world, and how it was presented to children. The act of categorizing and displaying these snakes speaks to a desire to understand and control the non-European world. Consider the role of education in shaping perceptions. Children's prints like these weren’t just about teaching kids about snakes; they were about instilling a particular worldview. How might this representation of nature influence a child's understanding of their place in the world, their relationship to other cultures and species? These images reflect a colonial gaze, where the world is neatly organized and presented for consumption. This print invites us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in representation, and the lasting impact of these historical perspectives.