Oude man en een vrouw lezen verboden lectuur 1876 - 1890

Jean Baptiste Pierre Michiels created this print, “Old Man and Woman Reading Forbidden Literature,” sometime in the mid-19th century. Here, we see an elderly man and younger woman huddled over a book, their faces etched with concern, perhaps even fear, amidst a scene of hushed secrecy. Made in Belgium, a country with a strong tradition of both religious and political reform movements, this image hints at the clandestine consumption of texts that challenge established norms. Was the artist sympathetic to these reform movements? The very act of depicting this scene suggests an alignment with the values of literacy and critical thinking. Understanding the full meaning of this print requires us to delve into the history of censorship, the circulation of printed materials, and the social conditions that might lead individuals to risk reading “forbidden literature.” The Rijksmuseum’s own archives, as well as other period sources, would reveal much about the stakes of knowledge and the power of images to capture moments of intellectual resistance.