Het twaalfuurtje 1894 - 1959

This image, Het twaalfuurtje, by the artist Monogrammist G.J., is a sequence of scenes, likely created as an illustration for a book or magazine. The light touch of color suggests a hand-colored print, where each tint was carefully laid down to bring the characters and settings to life. I can imagine the artist, bent over their desk, meticulously applying watercolor washes to define each figure. The figures are so expressive, and there's a tenderness in the artist's way of portraying relationships and emotions. You can sense the artist reflecting on memories and emotions, using the narrative to explore themes of childhood, family, and moral instruction. It reminds me of other narrative artists, like Paula Rego, who used storytelling to explore themes of childhood, memory, and power dynamics. Each of them, in their own way, invites us to reflect on our own relationships to storytelling and the complex emotions they evoke.