Den handel, schoon in 't kleyn gedreven, / Schynt toch nog eenig winst te geven, / le commerce en petit, / Plusiers personnes nourrit 1842 - 1856

This print was made by P.J. Delhuvenne, featuring a series of vignettes rendered in clean, spare lines. Each scene captures figures engaged in small-scale commerce, their forms delineated with an economy of detail that speaks to the print's functional nature. The composition is structured like a grid, imposing an order that reflects the rationalization of labor characteristic of its time. Each miniature tableau is framed by text, creating a visual and textual interplay that invites reading as much as viewing. These figures, rendered in stark black and white, are archetypes of the everyday, their simple forms hinting at the broader economic structures underpinning their activities. This work destabilizes traditional notions of high art, instead focusing on the mundane aspects of commerce. It invites us to consider how the formal elements of line and composition serve not merely aesthetic ends but also communicate ideas about labor and value.