Spotprent op de verschillende soorten courantlezers, 1870 1870

This print by Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans, made around 1870, depicts different types of newspaper readers in the Netherlands. It connects to the wider social and cultural context of the time, when the rise of mass media was transforming public life. The image creates meaning through visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations. Consider how features of Dutch society, such as social class and political movements, might have influenced the artwork. Note that some people read "Het Noorden" while others read "Vaderland" [Fatherland]. The artwork comments on the social structures of its time, offering a satirical view of the diverse readership of Dutch newspapers. To understand this image better, we need to delve into historical sources that tell us about the different newspapers and the social groups they catered to. The meaning of art is contingent on its social and institutional context.