Leert uit Duimkens aardig leven, ('t geen wij u in prent hier geven : ) / Zijt g'ondeugend, hoewel klein, dat uw eind zal droevig zijn / Enfans si de Poucet, je vous donne l'image, c'est pour vous exciter à toujours rester sage; / Recherchez la vertu, c'est là le vrai moyen de vous faire chérir de tout homme de bien 1800 - 1854

This is a print by Erve H. Rynders, made at an unknown date, using etching. The organization of this print into a grid of small scenes is immediately striking. Each miniature frame presents a moment from a narrative, but the overall composition encourages us to read them not as isolated incidents, but as parts of a larger, interconnected story. The use of line is particularly important here. Rynders employs a simple yet effective visual language of morality tale. The narrative unfolds through a series of cause-and-effect scenarios, each panel contributing to the overall message about behavior and consequence. Consider how the repetitive structure—the grid format, the recurring figures—reinforces the idea of a cyclical, almost predetermined path. This structural choice speaks to a worldview where actions have predictable outcomes, and where individual agency is perhaps more constrained than it appears. What might these visual and structural elements suggest about societal expectations and moral teachings of the time?