Gabriël Grub in de afgrond door kabouters gestraft 1872

Wilhelmus van Geldorp made this pen lithograph entitled, 'Gabriël Grub in de afgrond door kabouters gestraft', or 'Gabriel Grub punished in the abyss by gnomes' sometime in the 19th Century. The image draws on popular folklore, but it can also be understood as a critique of social injustice and perhaps a commentary on the role of institutions. Van Geldorp lived in the Netherlands in a time of industrial expansion. This print shows a human figure, Gabriël Grub, being punished by a group of gnomes who appear to be staging a trial. Grub is being pulled down a set of stairs by the creatures. The gnomes are a symbolic challenge to the exploitation of the working class. This imagery can be better understood through sources that explore the role of folklore and social critique in 19th-century art. Such resources help to highlight the role of the artist in voicing social concerns.