Detail of an engraved print shows children blowing bubbles in a grassy area. Items in the image are labeled and a portion of the key is visible.

Enseñar desde luego silabeando

Jose de Nava
1802

To read aloud, syllable by syllable, is the instructive message of this extremely rare ephemeral sheet. It shows a group of young children engaged in various activities, as well as letters corresponding to important words along the edges – Som-bre-ro, Gui-tar-ra, Flo-res, Za-pa-to – that are also visible in the images. The "arzobispo de Mexico, como patrono del Hospital R[ea]l de Yndios" engraved above image in the center refers to Archbishop Francisco Javier de Lizana y Beaumont, who held that office from 1802-1805 and served as viceroy of New Spain from 1809-1810. He served as patron of the Royal Hospital of the Indies, an organization founded in 1556 to care for the natives in New Spain.

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