Design: Children, from Encyclopédie 1762 - 1777

Benoit Louis Prevost created this print, "Design: Children," as part of the "Encyclopédie," a defining project of the Enlightenment. Prevost’s image reflects the era’s fascination with knowledge and its ambition to classify the world through reason and observation. The print depicts children, or rather, idealized cherubic figures. In the upper portion of the image, the children are active and playful, while the figure in the lower portion is diligently studying a reflective surface, perhaps learning to represent the world through art. Prevost’s "Design: Children" can be viewed through today's lens as a reflection of the cultural values and social norms of the 18th century. It offers a glimpse into how childhood, education, and artistic practice were perceived and idealized during this transformative period in European history.