Hier heeft de jeugd tot haar geryf, / Thyl Ulenspiegels leven en bedryf 1767 - 1793

This undated print by Erven Hendrik van der Putte, titled *Thyl Ulenspiegels Leven en Bedryf*, presents a series of vignettes depicting scenes from the life of Thyl Ulenspiegel, a trickster figure from folklore. The dominant visual symbols are those of everyday life intertwined with mischief: characters engaging in simple trades, riding horses, or involved in playful pranks. This integration reflects a broader cultural narrative of the trickster figure, a motif that stretches back through antiquity. Consider the figure of Hermes in Greek mythology, whose cunning and boundary-crossing behavior appear throughout history in various guises. The repetitive, cyclical nature of Ulenspiegel's escapades mirrors a psychological need to confront societal norms. These characters tap into our collective memory, resurfacing in different forms across time and cultures, reflecting the human psyche's ongoing negotiation with authority and societal expectations.