Allegorie op de opvoeding (in doos met 43 tekeningen) 1753

Louis Fabritius Dubourg created this drawing, "Allegorie op de opvoeding," as part of a series of 43 drawings. It reflects the 18th-century Enlightenment's focus on reason and education, and the era's idealized vision of classical antiquity. The allegorical figures present a vision of education rooted in class and gender norms. A woman sits with tools, presumably learning a trade, while another woman holds a writing tablet. The central, helmeted figure, perhaps representing Minerva, goddess of wisdom, guides a young boy towards knowledge. What does it mean to educate? Who gets to learn, and what are they taught? This drawing operates within a tradition that seeks to civilize through education, yet it also reinforces societal hierarchies. Education is not a neutral act; it is a deeply political process that shapes identity and reinforces power structures.