Kindervreugd 1878

This chromolithograph titled "Kindervreugd", or "Children's Joy", was created by L. van Leer & Co. The print depicts a series of vignettes showing idealized scenes of domestic life centered around children. The image creates meaning through its depiction of gendered roles and social class. We see fathers providing toys while mothers are depicted caring for children and attending to their needs. The scenes suggest a comfortable, middle-class existence, with fathers as the providers for their family and mothers are nurturing caretakers. This popular print reflects conservative values of family life in the Netherlands, likely sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. It would be important to look at books and periodicals popular during this time, and the historical context in which attitudes towards women and family were changing. Understanding this print requires historical research into the social conditions and popular attitudes prevalent at the time.