De betoverde schotel / Of de nieuwsgierigheid gestraft c. 1902

This intriguing print, "De betoverde schotel / Of de nieuwsgierigheid gestraft" or "The Enchanted Dish / Or Curiosity Punished", presents a series of narrative moments captured by Pellerin & Cie. It reminds me of those early comic strips. The artist probably started with an outline, maybe etching the image onto a plate, filling it in with watercolor washes, or even using stencils to create these subtle pinks and blues. You know, the kind of colors that feel both innocent and a little eerie. I can imagine the artist, bent over their workspace, carefully composing each scene, thinking about how to convey the story's moral. Maybe they were thinking about their own childhood. The way curiosity can get you into trouble. The narrative unfolds with a certain charm, inviting us to reflect on the balance between innocence and knowledge.