Het vermaak der kinderen 1791 - 1812

This print, "Het vermaak der kinderen," made by Dirk van Lubeek, presents us with scenes of children interacting with animals. In the upper image, children feed chickens, a motif that speaks to youthful innocence and harmony with nature. The act of nurturing animals has been portrayed in art across centuries, but here, the chickens peck at the ground as a symbol of the everyday cycle of life. Consider how the motif of children among animals appears in pastoral scenes of antiquity, or even the religious iconography of the Good Shepherd. Note the children’s direct gaze, a gesture connecting the viewer, the image and the cultural memory of childhood. This cyclical progression of a motif, surfacing and evolving, invites us to reflect on how the human experience, viewed through art, is but a powerful force engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level.