Twee kinderen met druiventros 1664 - 1721

Jan van Munnickhuysen created this print of two children with grapes sometime between 1655 and 1701. The image presents us with a complex allegory of childhood, nature, and seasonal change. Made in the Netherlands, this print reflects the Dutch Republic's embrace of symbolism and its sophisticated market for art. We see this in the idealized portrayal of the children, likely intended to evoke classical putti. One child offers grapes to the other, a clear reference to autumn and the harvest. Beside them is a burning brazier - a symbol of the winter to come. The inscription below alludes to the transience of the seasons and, by implication, of life itself. But these are children and childhood is a time of innocence. Are they aware of this transience? Understanding this image requires delving into the cultural context of the Dutch Golden Age. Period texts, emblem books, and archival records would reveal the extent to which such imagery served to reinforce social values and articulate the relationship between humans and the natural world.