Titelpagina voor: Johannes Cornelisz. Hazeu, Agt kunstplaaten behoorende tot de Kinderpligt en zinnebeelden, Amsterdam 1789 1789

Editor: So, this is the title page for "Agt kunstplaaten behoorende tot de Kinderpligt en zinnebeelden," from 1789. It was made in Amsterdam. I notice it credits both a designer, P. de Bakker, and a publisher, J. Hazeu. The typography has a unique quality, making it seem both antique and carefully composed. What's your perspective on this kind of historical printed matter? Curator: Well, from a historical standpoint, it's fascinating to consider how this title page reflects the burgeoning print culture and the shaping of childhood in the late 18th century. "Kinder-Pligt," or "Children's Duty," and "Zinnebeelden," "Emblems", hint at a didactic purpose. Who was this aimed at? Editor: Probably wealthier families who could afford such illustrated moral lessons for their children? Curator: Exactly. The very existence of printed material aimed at children reveals an evolving understanding of childhood as a period of instruction and moral formation. Notice how the printer, W. van Vliet, proudly proclaims his location? This reveals a growing public sphere. The Roman numerals for the year, the explicit pricing at the bottom - it’s all contributing to a certain type of commodity culture around education. Editor: So, it’s not just the illustrations that are important, but also the entire infrastructure around the making and selling of it that helps us understand it? Curator: Precisely. And it points towards understanding that education for children becomes also a product, shaping certain type of culture and consumption. Are those "symbols" and font designs reflective of artistic trends of that time? Editor: I didn’t think of it that way before. It’s interesting how much social context is packed into a single title page. Curator: It really does open up a whole avenue for investigation beyond the artistic skill. It illustrates the development and social consumption.