Skorstensfejerne. Nr. 16 i Chr. Winther og M. Rørbye, "25 Billeder for små børn" 1846

Adolph Kittendorff created this print titled Skorstensfejerne, or Chimney Sweepers, as number 16 in "25 Images for Small Children." What social values are being taught to children here? We see chimney sweeps in the foreground. These workers provided an essential service, keeping the city's fires burning safely. However, they were also drawn from the lowest classes, often children themselves. The people in the background are more formally dressed; the children with the woman are clearly of a higher social standing than the chimney sweeps. The image creates meaning through the contrast between the laboring sweeps in the foreground and the domestic scene in the background. To understand this image better, we could research the history of child labor in Denmark, and analyze the class structure that shaped the lives of both the chimney sweeps and the children being taught to value them. Images like these are revealing historical documents that show the social values that were being instilled in children at the time.