Leer deez' spreuken te geleiden, / Kind'ren in uw hoofd en hart / Welligt na verloop van tijden, / Hoedt het voor, of troost in smart 1827 - 1894

This hand-colored print, made by M. Hemeleers-van Houter, presents a grid of small, vignette-like scenes, each accompanied by a moralizing proverb. The limited color palette emphasizes the graphic quality of the work, drawing attention to the clear, almost pedagogical intent. The print's structure, with its ordered rows and columns, reflects an Enlightenment emphasis on reason and categorization. Each scene serves as a visual signifier, encoding a specific lesson or cautionary tale. The figures, rendered in a simple, almost cartoonish style, act out miniature dramas of virtue and vice, echoing the didactic purpose of the accompanying text. The composition, with its repetitive use of figures and settings, invites a semiotic reading, in which the print functions as a system of signs and symbols aimed at shaping the viewer's moral understanding. Note how the scenes are framed by a horizontal plane or 'stage'. This acts not just aesthetically but also as part of a larger cultural and philosophical discourse about education and moral instruction.