Roodkapje 1894 - 1959

Curator: This intriguing print from the Rijksmuseum, called "Roodkapje," or Little Red Riding Hood, dates roughly from 1894 to 1959. It's executed in tempera. Editor: It looks like a storyboard for a silent film. Each frame offers a little visual punch. The color palette is surprisingly soft given the subject matter—I mean, it’s "Little Red Riding Hood"! Curator: Yes, that gentle palette actually enhances the folk-art style and heightens the emotional undercurrent. Notice how the narrative unfolds frame by frame; the sequence underscores the building tension as Red Riding Hood gets closer to her grandma's house. Editor: It is like a comic strip laid out in rows! The composition definitely echoes chapbooks or early comics. It’s as though we’re seeing not just the fairy tale itself but its place within popular culture and the ways stories are transmitted to mass audiences. Curator: Absolutely. It reminds us of how fairy tales function—a method for illustrating rites of passage for younger people or exploring societal fears. It also is drawing from pre-existing symbol systems within Dutch culture. Editor: Looking at this piece makes me think about how the story of Little Red Riding Hood shifted across different eras and places, shaped by the culture of each era—whether serving didactic functions for girls, or speaking to power structures in place. This composition makes it all explicit by showing us the sequence. Curator: It's remarkable how the artist synthesizes a popular narrative, stylistic folk elements, and easily understood symbols to form an aesthetic. Editor: Indeed, this particular telling seems deeply invested in translating a cultural story for new audiences through printmaking. Curator: A potent intersection of fairy tale and accessible graphic design. Editor: A perfect encapsulation of art in service of cultural transmission and cultural meaning.