Deze apenkuren, lieve jeugd! / Geve u genoegen en vreugd 1806 - 1830

Johan Noman created this print titled *Deze apenkuren, lieve jeugd! / Geve u genoegen en vreugd* using etching. This translates to "These monkey tricks, dear youth! / Give you pleasure and joy." Consider the implications of using monkeys to depict human activities, from reading to drinking, to playing music. Through this lens, we can explore 19th-century Dutch perspectives on identity, class, and even colonialism. The choice of monkeys raises questions about the perception of the "other" and the way society's marginalized groups were seen and represented. These images reveal a complex interplay between humor and social commentary. How might the depiction of monkeys reflect the biases and stereotypes of the time, and what does it tell us about the values and anxieties of Dutch society in the 1800s? The emotions and personal experiences evoked by this artwork can be both thought-provoking and deeply unsettling.