Spelende kinderen 1881

This colorful print, made by De Ruyter & Meijer, presents a series of scenes of "Spelende Kinderen" or "Children Playing". It probably dates to the late 19th century in the Netherlands. These images offer us a window into the social construction of childhood during that era. We see the children engaged in various activities from mock battles and snowball fights to playing with dolls and reading books. The scenes suggest a focus on imaginative play and the development of social skills. But they also reveal the gendered expectations of the time, with boys engaging in more active and aggressive games, and girls in more domestic and nurturing ones. Moreover, the presence of books and a classroom-like setting hint at the growing importance of education and literacy for children in Dutch society. To fully understand this print, we would need to delve into Dutch social history, educational reforms, and the changing attitudes toward children and family life during the 19th century.