Deez kinderprent leert, kort en goed / Wat nut de werktuigkunde doet / Hoe zij der menschen werk verligt, / En onbegryplyk veel verricht 1866 - 1902

This undated print by Franciscus Antonius Beersmans uses simple lines and gentle washes of color to depict scenes of labor and mechanical advantage. Rendered in a grid of eight vignettes, the composition evokes a sense of orderly progress and rational understanding. The charm of the artwork lies in its unpretentious presentation of complex mechanical principles. For instance, the image with the pulley demonstrates how simple machines amplify force, reducing the effort needed to lift heavy loads. Adjacent to this, the worker using the saw operates a device that embodies the Industrial Revolution's promise of efficiency. The use of color is elemental, with blues, reds, and yellows delineating forms and guiding the eye through each narrative, suggesting a universal language of progress accessible to all. The artist reduces complex ideas to their most basic forms, reflecting a broader cultural impulse to dissect and rationalize the world. This print should be seen as a testament to the enlightenment belief in technology's power to improve society.