Le mensonge puni / leugentaal gestraft 1833 - 1911

Editor: This is "Le mensonge puni / leugentaal gestraft", created sometime between 1833 and 1911 by Brepols & Dierckx. It's a color lithograph, presented as a sort of comic strip. What I find immediately striking is how each panel tells a sequential part of the story. Curator, how do you interpret its visual storytelling and message within its historical context? Curator: What we see here isn't just a simple comic; it's a product deeply rooted in 19th-century socio-political agendas. The narrative, the 'punishment of the lie', was a popular theme used to instill societal norms. It served a public function. Where do you think it might have been displayed or used? Editor: Hmm, judging by its visual style and the multiple panels, I'd guess maybe in a children's book or perhaps even broadsides meant to be distributed to the masses. What effect would displaying images like this have on culture? Curator: Exactly! Images like these played a significant role in shaping public morality. They acted as a form of visual propaganda. They enforced certain values on both young and older individuals in a readily accessible format. Can you see any connections to modern political cartoons or other visual media? Editor: I think I see some definite connections, it reminds me of how political cartoons and comics simplify issues to sway public opinion, and now I have some additional tools to help analyze similar images. Thanks for expanding my ideas of art beyond painting and sculpture! Curator: My pleasure! Remembering art is part of a greater political agenda, will always give your reading greater context and complexity. It also goes the other way: Political agendas affect the production of artworks!