Drie kinderkopjes c. 1773 - 1840

Amalie Baader made this print of three children’s heads using etching, a technique that allowed for the relatively easy reproduction of images. Looking at this print, we might consider the changing role of children in late 18th-century European society. Enlightenment thought emphasized education and childhood development. Simultaneously, a growing middle class placed new emphasis on the domestic sphere and the family. Were Baader’s “kinderkopjes” intended as models for aspiring artists, or were they made for a burgeoning market of domestic art? Perhaps they were meant as a reflection on the innocence of youth. Understanding the social and institutional contexts of this print requires further research. Auction records, artist biographies, and studies of the print market might shed light on the work’s original function and meaning. The role of the historian is to uncover these hidden layers, revealing how art reflects and shapes the society that produces it.