Shock-headed Peter
1890
Meet the original bad boy of children's literature, Shock-Headed Peter, caught in the middle of a serious grooming intervention! With his mouth agape in sheer surprise, the wild-haired lad stands on a chair while a woman vigorously attacks his unruly mop with a large yellow comb. An older woman looks on, offering a large cookie—likely a bribe to keep him still. This 1890 illustration brings to life the famous German cautionary tale 'Der Struwwelpeter,' a book that terrified Victorian children with its gruesome lessons on hygiene. While the original story was by Heinrich Hoffmann, this version by Lothar Meggendorfer—famous for inventing mechanical pop-up books—adds a vibrant, colorful charm to the infamous character.
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