Raadgevingen voor kinderen 1840 - 1868

This is an interesting print, titled "Advice for Children," made by A. Jacobs in Amsterdam. We don't know exactly when, but based on its style, it was likely made sometime in the 19th century. The print’s method of production—likely lithography—is key to its meaning. Lithography allowed for the relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction of images, making them accessible to a wider audience. The print’s didactic, comic strip-like format is a perfect fit for this kind of mass production. We see a series of vignettes, each offering a little moral lesson, from behaving in church to avoiding laziness. The use of lithography signals a shift in visual culture, one where printed images became increasingly pervasive. What might have been individually rendered drawings was now brought into the sphere of mechanized production. In viewing this work, consider how advancements in printing technology democratized access to visual instruction, contributing to the formation of a shared social ethic.