Gij, jeugd! die 't speelen steeds bemint, / 't is kinderspel wat gij hier vind. / Het kind kan nooit vermaak ontbeeren; / Deez' print verschaft het u. bij 't leeren 1818 - 1828

Curator: What a fascinating find! This is an early 19th-century print titled "Gij, jeugd! die 't speelen steeds bemint, / 't is kinderspel wat gij hier vind. / Het kind kan nooit vermaak ontbeeren; / Deez' print verschaft het u. bij 't leeren" by W. van Bergen. It’s currently held at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My first impression is that it's incredibly charming. It has a storybook quality. Almost like an early comic strip, rendered in stark monochrome. Curator: Exactly! These panels depict various children’s games and activities. Consider the material production – etching and engraving allowed for wide dissemination, placing knowledge and entertainment within reach of a broader audience. These affordable prints functioned as both amusement and educational tools, offering visual narratives accessible to different socioeconomic classes. It's folk art, a visual culture of the time. Editor: I see those narratives, certainly. I can’t help but interpret the scenes through the lens of child development and societal roles of that era. Children role playing social functions and duties within an economy structured very differently from our own. The verse accompanying each scene, too. How does this interact with early forms of accessible education? Curator: Indeed. Look at the depiction of labour in some scenes and its impact. How does the portrayal shape our perception of class and gender roles, reflecting on who gets to play and who doesn't? The emphasis on learning alongside play hints at a prevailing belief in the importance of instilling particular virtues and values at an early age. Editor: So the material and the messaging mutually enforce each other. A relatively cheap print with an educational goal subtly transmitting social and economic norms? That almost makes it sound cynical. Curator: Not necessarily. Consider it a document embedded within its cultural and economic milieu, providing insight into that particular system of power relationships as well. Editor: I see. That adds another dimension, doesn’t it? Makes it much richer as an object to analyse now. Curator: Precisely! Recognizing those power dynamics enriches our engagement with this seemingly simple children's print. Editor: It definitely reframes how I see this piece – the materials speak to social reach, while the content reinforces dominant ideas. It has really provided an education itself, thinking about social constructs through artistic representations.