Nederlandstalig gedicht op de Nimfen van de Amstel, pagina 1 1640

Curator: We’re looking at “Nederlandstalig gedicht op de Nimfen van de Amstel, pagina 1,” a Dutch poem rendered in ink on paper. Crispijn van de Passe the Younger created it around 1640. Editor: It feels remarkably sturdy. Even with the foxing of age, the letters stand their ground, so solid, evenly pressed into the fibers. Like the poem itself is architecture. Curator: That’s a great observation! Van de Passe was known for his skill in engraving, and here we see typography as its own art. Each letter a considered element. Think of the physical process, cutting these reversed forms into a block for printing. The labour embedded here is intense. Editor: The patience needed... unbelievable. And it reminds us these weren’t mass-produced pages. Each one came off the press with its own unique pressure, ink density, tiny variations, meaning they were all slightly distinct from each other. Almost like they are unique impressions in themselves. Curator: Precisely. Consider, too, that poetry in this period was not always intended for silent reading. These words were meant to be performed, recited aloud, shared in public or intimate settings. Editor: I wonder about the ink. What recipe did Van de Passe rely on? Was it carbon-based, something created to last centuries, knowing this sheet would need to endure? Because it works! You can sense the intention embedded in this piece and appreciate how the making itself has influenced its lifespan, it feels so contemporary now. Curator: Absolutely, a beautiful confluence of technique, intention, and subject matter. Seeing it framed here makes me think differently.