Visschen 1850 - 1881

This print titled 'Visschen', or fish, was made by D. Noothoven van Goor in Leiden. It's an illustration that shows various types of fish alongside a descriptive passage. Considering the title, 'Pictures-Magazine for the Youth' we might examine this print as a popular educational tool. It offers insights into how natural history was disseminated and consumed during the period it was made. It would be interesting to know if these prints were made for school distribution or purchased for home study. Note the way the artist uses simple visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations to create meaning. The presence of the sailing boat, for instance, could be intended to remind us of the Netherlands's close relationship to the sea, and the relationship to the fishing industry. Further research into the Prenten-Fabriek, would shed more light on the social conditions that made this kind of art possible. Such prints remind us that the meaning of art and images are always contingent on their social and institutional context.