Op het land 1875 - 1903

This is 'Op het Land', a charming children's print by Jan de Haan, part of a series called 'New Dutch Children's Prints'. Its delightful scenes of childhood innocence offer a window into the social values and expectations of the time it was made. Produced in the Netherlands, the print captures an idealised vision of childhood in the countryside. The four panels show children interacting with pets and nature. It reflects a culture that valued outdoor play, family time, and simple pleasures, perhaps influenced by Romantic ideas about nature and childhood. The print's creation and distribution were likely shaped by the growing market for children's literature and educational materials in the 19th century. It also reinforces a particular vision of domestic life at the time. To fully understand this image, we might explore Dutch social history, the rise of children's literature, and the visual culture of the 19th century. By researching these resources, we reveal the ways in which art is always embedded in a specific social and institutional context.