Leert uit Duimpjes aardig leven, ('t geen wij u in prent hier geven : ) / Zijt g'ondeugend, hoewel klein, dat uw eind' zal droevig zijn / Enfants si de Poucet, je vous donne l'image, c'est pour vous exciter à toujours rester sage; / Recherchez la vertu, c'est là le vrai moyen de vous faire chérir de tout homme de bien 1800 - 1833

This lithograph by Philippus Jacobus Brepols, made sometime between 1778 and 1845, presents a grid-like structure filled with small narrative scenes, each accompanied by text. The monochromatic palette and the print's texture give it a unique visual rhythm, inviting a closer look at its composition. The arrangement of these vignettes in a structured manner, akin to a comic strip, implies a sequential reading, almost like a lesson unfolding. The use of simple, unadorned lines and forms speaks to a pedagogical purpose. The lithograph uses images as signs to impart moral lessons, reflecting the structuralist idea that underlying patterns shape how we understand the world. It presents a microcosm of societal values, using visual codes to communicate expected behaviors. Consider the piece as an early form of visual communication, which destabilizes the traditional relationship between text and image, suggesting a world where visual literacy could convey complex ethical ideas to a wide audience.