Baker- & kniedeuntjes 1875 - 1903

This print was made by Jan de Haan in Haarlem. The lithographic process allowed for mass production, making these colorful scenes of Dutch childhood accessible to a wide audience. Note the paper itself – relatively inexpensive, but capable of holding fine detail. The lithographic stones would have been carefully prepared, the images drawn with a grease crayon, then chemically etched to hold the ink. Each color required a separate stone, demanding precision and skill. The bright hues, likely achieved with newly developed aniline dyes, speak to a growing consumer culture, where even inexpensive items could possess a visual punch. Consider the scenes depicted: children at play, learning domestic skills, engaging with street performers. These images reflect a carefully curated view of childhood, one where labor is softened by innocence. The print itself, a mass-produced object, hints at the complex relationship between art, industry, and the shaping of cultural values. It invites us to consider how images, even seemingly simple ones, participate in the wider social and economic landscape.