Three consecutive generations of Habsburg princes and princesses spent part of their early lives in Mechelen, a fiefdom of the Habsburg Netherlands and an important centre for politics, culture, and early childhood education in the 15th and 16th centuries. Other powerful families from all over Europe also sent their children to Mechelen - the most famous is perhaps Anne Boleyn, who later became Queen of England. This catalogue documents an exhibition of children's portraits, manuscripts, toys, jewellery, and educational treatises from Mechelen, illuminating the historical, pedagogical, and artistic background of these works. Included here are early childhood portraits by well known artists, including Jan Gossart, Berard van Orley, and Juan de Flandes and educational tracts by Erasmus and Juan Luis Vives.
