Om na te teekenen 1875 - 1903

This undated lithograph entitled, "Om na te teekenen," or "To Copy," was created by Jan de Haan and printed in Haarlem. This simple print, part of a series of educational images for children, exemplifies the intersection of art, education, and commerce in the 19th and early 20th centuries. On the left side, we see charming, coloured vignettes depicting animals in rural settings. On the right, spare line drawings invite young learners to reproduce the images, learning the fundamentals of draughtsmanship. Published as part of a series called "New Dutch Children's Prints," this work was clearly intended to nurture a sense of national identity, connecting Dutch children to the agrarian landscape and its inhabitants. Understanding the social and institutional context of works like these enriches our perspective. Researching the history of children's education, printmaking, and the Dutch publishing industry would reveal the networks of production and consumption that gave this humble lithograph its cultural meaning.