1-7: "The Tadpole", "Le Têtard", "Der Kopffüssler" ...

From the beginning of the investigation on "Children’s Drawings" or "Child Art", the human figure as drawn by children in their third, fourth or fifth year of live – the first corresponding graphic manifestations and its early development – represents one of the most important issues of early pictures in ontogeny being discussed. Accordingly, the expression "tadpole" ("têtard", "Kopffüssler" and corresponding expressions in other languages) became common in every day language.

This discussion includes the question, whether the forms and models of the early human figure drawing which prevail in Europe and North America are to be understood as "cultur-specific" or as "universal". Hitherto, with regard to this topic, different views are taken, and different claims are made.