Constructing the Past Through Play

Since 1974 Playmobil produced a fair amount of historically themed sets. The three biggest historical themes are the Wild West, pirates and knights. These historical themes often articulate perceptions about history that are subconsciously validated in our society. The perception of history reiterated through these toys can be analysed by using the concept visual historical culture. Historical culture offers a framework through which to deconstruct the current myths, narratives and perceptions about history. Visual culture enabled the identification of signs and semiotic meanings embedded within the visuals in the catalogues. By examining the relationships between these signs, it was possible to uncover underlying historical myths, which could then be contextualised within broader ideas of historical culture. Thereby providing an answer to the Research Question: How has the visual representation of the Wild West, pirates, and knights in Playmobil catalogues changed since 1974, and to what extent are these changes indicative of changes in broader historical culture? The research analysed the three biggest historical themes presented in the annual catalogues published by Playmobil from 1974 to 2024. The visualisation of the Wild West was analysed in reference to changing postcolonial critique and focussed on the visualisation of the Indians and American cavalry. The Wild West shows a significant shift during the mid-1990s from visualising colonial myths, to a more nuanced, albeit stereotypical, presentations of the Indians as a cultural entity. The pirate theme was analysed in relation to changing visualisations of pirates in the cinematic industry. The pirate theme illustrates a shift from a focus on historical myths, influenced by the film Treasure Island, towards a more mythical and fantasy shift influenced by the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. The knights theme was analysed in relation to changing narratives in the literary genre. The knight theme shows how the visualisation moved from historical myths to the inclusion of fantasy and mythical elements, influenced by changes in the Fantasy genre. This study concludes that Playmobil's historical themes are actively shaped by and reflect historical culture of their time. The thesis demonstrates that visualisation of children's toys are not neutral but carries implicit narratives that inform and reproduce historical myths. Understanding these visual narratives through the lens of historical culture provides insight into how perceptions of history are constructed through play.