Jongheid, ik kom u hier, in deze prent, te geven, / Een aantal personen, die zonder werken, op uwe beurzen leven / Voyez ici, ô chère jeunesse! une partie des chevaliers d'industrie, / Qui sans travailler, à votre détriment, se procurent la vie 1856 - 1900

This print by Glenisson & Zonen presents a tableau of characters, rendered with a naivety that belies its structural complexity. The composition, divided into twelve distinct vignettes, each framed by the void of the paper, creates a sense of isolation, emphasizing the individual vices on display. The figures, delineated with stark lines and filled with flat, unmodulated color, exist in a space that is both immediate and detached. The limited palette—primarily blues, reds, and yellows—functions not to create depth or realism, but to delineate form and function. This echoes a broader artistic concern with the semiotics of color and form, challenging the viewer to decode the moral lessons embedded within each scene. The apparent simplicity of the print masks a sophisticated commentary on social mores and the exploitation of youth. The structural organization, reminiscent of a medieval morality play, serves to underscore the universality of these themes. The work’s enduring power lies in its ability to destabilize our assumptions about representation and meaning.