Das Schulexamen

In the early years of the 19th century, school visits and education were not taken for granted by the rural population of Switzerland. Childhood and the experience of learning through play was alien to the minds of the population. Anker took up the topic and became one of the leading painters in the field of portraiture of children. The situation of children in playing with dominoes or writing on the slate shows the free spirit of the artist and the importance of the educational aspect for the artist. "The School Examiner" is an insight into the development of elementary schools. Boys and girls are taught together and show details that were very important for the time. For a long time, schools were reserved only for children who were appropriately dressed. The painting shows children barefoot. Anker incorporates another aspect through a narrative that was part of the foundation of his work. Death in everyday life. The girl without shoes injured herself during the violet picking and died of blood poisoning shortly after the completion of the work.

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Das Schulexamen by Albert Anker
18th century · mentor · educational meeting · class · pupils · american history · simple · challenged · festive · controlled