Ziet kind'ren een twaalftal neiuwe figuren, / Zij toonen u allerlei kluchtige kuren. / Men vecht en men lacht, men eet en men speelt, / Zoo wordt in de wereld steeds alles verdeeld 1850 - 1870

Editor: Here we have "Ziet kind'ren een twaalftal neiuwe figuren…" by Alexander Cranendoncq, created sometime between 1850 and 1870. It's a print and feels like a series of little scenes from everyday life. It’s rather charming in its simplicity, but I’m curious how we should really be interpreting this. What is your take on this print? Curator: It’s a fascinating piece of popular culture, revealing how narratives circulated among ordinary people. These prints were often cheaply produced and widely distributed, acting as a sort of proto-comic strip. What kind of stories do you think these images are trying to tell? Editor: It seems like simple slices of life, maybe? You've got people fighting, playing, working... all very ordinary. So, it was kind of a proto-comic… Were these things considered art at the time? Or just entertainment? Curator: That’s the critical question! The distinction between "high art" and popular imagery wasn't always so clear. Think about the social function of this print – it would likely have been circulated amongst commoners for entertainment and perhaps even moral instruction. Editor: Moral instruction? It just seems like everyday stuff. Where is the instruction? Curator: Well, consider each little scene individually. There's a fight, yes, but might that serve as a cautionary tale against aggression? Think about how such simple images, easily disseminated, could reinforce social norms and expectations. So this wouldn't have been for elite circles, I'm assuming. Editor: Not really for fancy drawing rooms then? Makes total sense that this was made for the masses to enjoy and interpret for themselves. Thanks! Curator: Precisely! And remember, art isn’t just what hangs in museums. It’s what people use to make sense of their world. It brings to mind the important influence everyday life had on art being produced.