De mensheid moet alles aanleren 1563

Philips Galle made this engraving, "De mensheid moet alles aanleren," in the Netherlands sometime in the late 16th century. It allegorizes the idea that humanity is born without innate knowledge, and is therefore reliant on education. The print visualizes this concept through the image of children learning. Some are held and fed, while others are literally beaten, seemingly to instill knowledge. In the background, we see a city being built, reflecting the idea of society as something constructed through learning and labor. The print invites us to consider how knowledge is transmitted and what role violence may play in the production of civilized society. Galle was part of a thriving printmaking industry, and prints like these were important ways of circulating ideas at the time. By studying such images in the context of the history of education, social customs, and print culture, we can better understand how early modern Europeans thought about the formation of the self and society.