Wilt in uw jongen tijd, toch lustig, ijvrig leeren, / Want later lieve jeugd komt dit zoo schoon te pas. / Benuttig uwen tijd, te laat zoudt ge u beklagen, / Want o de schoone tijd der jeugd vervliegt zoo ras 1848 - 1881

Editor: Here we have "Wilt in uw jongen tijd, toch lustig, ijvrig leeren..." a print made between 1848 and 1881. The creators are listed as Lutkie & Cranenburg. It looks like a miniature sheet of various little vignettes, almost like… individual lessons? I'm struck by how each scene feels self-contained, like a tiny world with its own meaning. What kind of story do you think it’s trying to tell? Curator: A story, perhaps, that murmurs rather than shouts. Look closely. Each little world is encased, like a jewel box holding a single thought. It whispers of morality, doesn't it? A reminder, perhaps, to seize youth and wisdom with both hands. Each image is a prompt for reflection. But who are Lutkie & Cranenburg, I wonder? Do you get the sense that they aimed to instruct or merely to inspire thought? Editor: I think instruction, definitely. It's like a visual proverb collection for children. But you bring up an interesting point... the personal intent does shape how we understand these scenes. Curator: Exactly. And does it still speak to us now, these dusty whispers? Editor: I think it does! The reminders to use your time wisely and to think about the future still resonate. Maybe that's why these old pieces can feel so surprisingly fresh. Curator: Precisely. They are more like seeds scattered by the wind to sprout whenever conditions are just right. I love the thought.