The fabulous Memory of the Netherlands site (part of the National Library of The Netherlands) presents a new collection of more than 1200 Penny Prints [translation] -- Gallery view.
These 19th century woodblock prints come from a single donor collection and depict a wide range of cultural themes: humorous slapstick, nursery rhymes, religious devotionals, games, military battles, disasters and contemporary events of significance. Most appear to be aimed at children, but the often unsophisticated nature of the illustrations and potential for esoteric visual satire (and language barrier) make it a bit difficult to tell.
It's rare for such a large collection of popular prints to be preserved: these were generally low quality, high volume A4-sized pages sold to the poorer members of the community and likely discarded soon after purchase.
- Previously: Le Monde Renversé - Penny Plain [kids]
- Via Het Archiefforum.
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