All' wat God schip kan ons ter leeringe verstrekken; / Want alles, wel betracht, zal ons zyn magt ontdekkehn: / De dieren, hier vertoond, verschaffen u, o jeugd! / Een school van wysheid, en niet min een school van deugd 1806 - 1830

Curator: Looking at this print by Johan Noman, titled "All' wat God schip kan ons ter leeringe verstrekken," which roughly translates to "All that God creates can teach us." Made between 1806 and 1830, it features four quadrants each depicting a different bird. My first reaction is one of curiousity. It looks like something for children, in an almost archaic way. The lines are so definite, yet slightly off, creating this very earnest, awkward feel. What's your take on it? Editor: Awkwardness is a kind way of putting it! It reminds me of the animal engravings you might find illustrating old bestiaries. I see a symbolic language being taught to children using easily recognizable creatures: pride in the peacock, perhaps? Curator: Yes! It is absolutely pedagogical, a visual and textual lesson rolled into one. Look closer, each quadrant is bordered with its own miniature decorative frame, with short moralizing verses accompanying the images. Notice how the choice of bird emphasizes the attribute being taught; it feels like these distinct birds each present the virtues and faults to embody or transcend! Editor: Indeed. The peacock, swan, turkey, and rooster. What is so very fascinating, though, is how universally we grasp the visual coding here. Peacock's radiant feathers still scream pride even if the children of that time have never seen it personally! It is an intriguing window into enduring cultural perceptions and their reflection through accessible visual language. Curator: Absolutely, and it points to a certain universalism sought during that time. While appearing simple on the surface, it holds layer upon layer, offering insights into educational practices and also the mindset towards perceiving our place amongst living things. Its folksy simplicity still offers rich contemplation! Editor: Exactly! It is that paradox - immediate impact joined by sustained conceptual depth – what truly makes studying its iconography worthy, even after centuries have gone by! A compact piece, and endlessly telling.