Is deeze prent tot uw vermaak, / Zoo kryg ge in schoone kunsten smaak, / En zuld, in uw volwassen jaren, / De deugd aan edle kunsten paaren 1791 - 1812

Curator: Let’s discuss this intriguing print. It’s titled "Is deeze prent tot uw vermaak, / Zoo kryg ge in schoone kunsten smaak, / En zuld, in uw volwassen jaren, / De deugd aan edle kunsten paaren", made between 1791 and 1812 by Jacobus Thompson. It's held in the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It's certainly densely packed! My immediate impression is of a rather charming, though somewhat crude, visual compendium, like a page torn from a children’s book. The textile ground overlaid with engraved scenes gives a certain playful warmth. Curator: I think playful is a fair assessment. Thompson was very much a product of his time; the late eighteenth, early nineteenth century witnessed an explosion of interest in moralizing imagery intended for popular consumption. Prints like these were relatively inexpensive and accessible. Editor: Moralizing, yes, I can certainly see that. The panels, although simple in execution, narrate little scenes of virtue and vice, each seemingly carrying a distinct didactic message. What do we know about its distribution? Curator: While difficult to ascertain specific details, it’s reasonable to suggest these circulated widely among the rising middle class and literate working class. Note, too, the emphasis on pairing virtue with art – that “schoone kunsten” might lead to “deugd”, it reinforces how culture became a signifier of upward mobility during the Enlightenment. Editor: Fascinating. The crude coloring adds a certain immediacy. It certainly feels democratic, a stark contrast to the more refined engravings intended for aristocratic drawing rooms. Curator: Precisely. The text and image work together, forming a kind of accessible illustrated fable. Even the texture created by printing on textile plays a role, softening the sharpness and lending it an almost folk-art quality. Editor: Considering the timeframe, one imagines people engaging with this work in incredibly different ways. From reading lessons to domestic adornment or tools for instruction. This opens my mind. Thank you for sharing your insight! Curator: And thank you for drawing attention to its accessibility. It is essential to consider these prints not simply as art objects but also as agents of social and cultural meaning.