Today, the digital revolution has expanded the horizons of children’s art. Technology offers new ways to create and share artwork, allowing children to experiment with styles and techniques.
I bookmarked this story for school, but was struck by the parallels with today’s publishing world.
In the mid-13th century, a 7-year-old boy named Onfim in medieval Novgorod (part of modern-day Russia) left a timeless gift: delightful doodles etched into birch bark.
While practising his Cyrillic alphabet, he sketched himself as a heroic rider, complete with a horse, a sword, and a defeated enemy. His playful self-portrait, signed “ОНѲИМЄ,” is one of over 1,200 birch-bark texts preserved for centuries in Novgorod’s wet, oxygen-free soil.
The Dog Ate My Homework
These texts, scratched with metal or bone tools, were the medieval answer to a school exercise book.
Most birch-bark texts contain commercial records or religious transcriptions, but Onfim’s artwork stands out as a rare example of early child creativity.
Read more at LiveScience and see the image.
For modern publishing professionals, Onfim’s story is a powerful reminder of how fortunate we are to have access to an abundance of tools—from paper to laptops and even AI, to turn our ideas into reality. Creativity endures, regardless of the medium.
The View From The Beach
A a child-centric teacher (as opposed to a class lecturer facing rows of silent children) I love children’s art, and as a teacher I love teaching the kids about the fine arts globally.
Children’s art has evolved significantly over the centuries, shaped by cultural changes, educational philosophies, and technological advancements.
Historically, children’s creative expression was often limited by the availability of materials and was typically confined to practical or educational contexts, as seen in examples like Onfim’s birch-bark doodles from medieval Novgorod. Such works were functional, often created as part of literacy or moral instruction.
Children’s Art as Self-Expression
In the modern era, with the rise of child-centred education in the 19th and 20th centuries, children’s art has (very slowly) gained recognition as a form of self-expression.
Movements like Froebel’s kindergarten approach and Montessori education encouraged free drawing and exploration of materials, fostering creativity rather than imposing rigid guidelines. This shifted the focus from creating “correct” images to celebrating the unique perspectives of young artists.
Today, the digital revolution has expanded the horizons of children’s art. Technology offers new ways to create and share artwork, allowing children to experiment with styles and techniques.
Despite these changes, one thing remains constant: children’s art continues to provide a fascinating window into their emotions, imagination, and understanding of the world.
I just wish more parents and educators could appreciate, understand and value children’s art.
This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.
