Zie kinderen een twaalftal nieuwe figuren, / het zijn alle rare kuren. / De eene die vegt, en de andere bijt, / Zoo raakt een ieder zijn geld al kwijt 1781 - 1828

Alexander Cranendoncq created this print, "Zie kinderen een twaalftal nieuwe figuren," in the Netherlands in the early to mid-19th century. It presents twelve scenes of children behaving badly, each accompanied by a rhyming verse. Consider the era in which Cranendoncq lived; the print offers insight into the social attitudes toward children at the time. The verses suggest a moralizing tone, yet the scenes are depicted with a sense of humor and playfulness, complicating the message. The print invites us to consider how children were viewed – as innocent beings or as individuals capable of disruption. The children are seen fighting, biting and losing their money. This work reflects broader cultural anxieties about social order and morality. While seemingly lighthearted, the print subtly hints at the expectations placed upon children and the potential consequences of deviating from those expectations.