Elk handwerk geeft een spoor tot nieuwe vlijt en deugd, / Dit biedt hier 't achttal aan, ten Leerbeeld voor de jeugd 1842 - 1866

This undated print by weduwe C. Kok-van Kolm, whose name translates to widow, presents us with a series of vignettes depicting various trades in Amsterdam. The inscription suggests a moralizing message, that craftsmanship leads to virtue, and the print is a lesson for the youth. But what does it mean to picture labor as virtuous? We can consider the historical context. The Dutch Golden Age saw an explosion of trade, and with it a growing merchant class. These scenes showing butchers, coopers, and shoemakers, aren’t simply records of work. They reflect the values of a society that sees hard work as a path to social mobility and moral righteousness. As a woman running a publishing house, Kok-van Kolm was likely deeply aware of the labor required to keep her business afloat. This print then, with its message of hard work and moral uplift, speaks to a desire to instill these values, and perhaps to suggest that the labor of all, regardless of gender, is vital to society’s well-being.