St. Nicolaas 1848 - 1881

This illustrated print of St. Nicholas by Lutkie & Cranenburg is undated, but it probably comes from the Netherlands in the mid-19th century. It would have been a cheap, mass-produced item sold at the time for children. The appeal of such an image, in its time, would have been its ability to instruct children on social expectations and how they would be rewarded for good behaviour. The St. Nicholas story became an important cultural event, and gifts were presented to children on the eve of his feast day. However, such a print is far from a transparent record of social life. We can consider this image as a way to question the role of institutions in shaping and reproducing culture. Studying works of art, in their original context, with all the appropriate historical resources helps us to better understand the dynamics of society.