De listige Hendrik / Henri le malicieux 1833 - 1911

Editor: This print, "De listige Hendrik / Henri le malicieux," attributed to Brepols & Dierckx Zoon and dated between 1833 and 1911, seems like a sequential narrative. It reminds me of a vintage comic strip, with a mischievous child and a flock of geese as the main subjects. What sociopolitical observations can we glean from these depictions? Curator: Precisely. Beyond its aesthetic charm, this print offers a fascinating window into the construction of childhood, power dynamics, and the era's relationship with folklore. The figure of the "malicious" child, Hendrik, disrupts traditional portrayals of innocence. Who benefits from defining Hendrik as "listige"? Who is harmed? How does Hendrik reflect or resist prevailing norms and behaviors? Editor: It’s interesting that you point that out, because the child *is* characterized as malicious, but is his “malice” really defiance against rigid social expectations, as they were presented in 19th-century children’s literature and educational materials? Curator: Exactly. How do the illustrations depict Hendrik's actions, and what message do they convey? What does it say about gender roles when the authority figure attempting to control him appears to be an older woman? Perhaps this print satirizes both the child and the established order, revealing tensions within the family unit and society at large. Do the animals symbolize some other power at play? Editor: It is like a mirror reflecting the social anxieties and values of its time. This reminds me to consider who gets to tell the stories and whose perspectives are included. Curator: It’s important to consider these prints, not simply as charming relics of the past, but as complex cultural artifacts that continue to shape our understanding of childhood, resistance, and power. Thank you, it’s been a productive examination for me, as well.