Jongen past op een paard c. 1919 - 1930

Dineke Knegtmans made this drawing of a boy minding a horse with pen and ink. It is an illustration, so it likely appeared in a book. The social history of children's literature is fascinating. This image creates meaning through visual codes related to class. The boy wears working clogs but a smart jacket. The other boy wears boots and a smart suit. Is the boy minding the horse in service of the other boy? This brings up questions about the socio-economic structures of the time it was made. Was it a commentary on social structures, or did it reinforce them? Was it meant to teach children about their place in society? To understand this artwork better, we might research the history of children's literature and education, and look into Knegtmans' other illustrations. The meaning of this image is contingent on its social and institutional context.