Leert uyt Duymkens aerdig leéven / ('T geén wy in print hier geéven:) / Zyt g'ondeugend hoe-wel klyn, / Dat uw eynd zal droevig zyn / Jeunes enfans, , c'est une Ecole, / D amusement voiez du drole. / Petit Poucet la vie et la fin. / La fin mauvaise du vices enclin 1800 - 1833

This hand-colored etching by Philippus Jacobus Brepols, made in the Netherlands, presents a cautionary tale, likely from the early 19th century. It’s rendered in a style reminiscent of children's book illustrations. The image is divided into a series of small scenes, each depicting an episode from the story of "Little Thumb," or "Petit Poucet," as the title indicates in both Dutch and French. The narrative unfolds through images combined with text, a popular mode of conveying moral lessons to a wide audience at the time. Brepols was from Turnhout, known for its printing industry, which indicates the important relationship of artistic practices to local economies. We might consider the social conditions that shaped Brepols’s production by looking at the history of printing and publishing in the Netherlands. Research into the circulation of popular stories and moral tales, could also shed light on the cultural values this print was designed to convey.