Oprechte Saturdagse Haerlemse Courant van 8 december 1770 met het nieuws over de overstroming van de Rijndijk in Gelderland Possibly 1770

This is the *Oprechte Saturdagse Haerlemse Courant van 8 december 1770 met het nieuws over de overstroming van de Rijndijk in Gelderland* by Johannes (I) Enschedé. The work is a broadsheet printed with movable type in the Netherlands. The layout of the paper is structured through columns of text, with headlines providing an overarching organisation. The dense arrangement and regimented type can at first seem overwhelming; however, the composition provides a structured system through which information can be located. Each element functions as a sign, contributing to the overall narrative of the world. The rigid structure of the columns contrasts with the dynamic content of the news articles themselves, describing distant lands and local events such as a flood in Gelderland. This tension between form and content is what makes this piece so compelling. The formal design choices underline a perspective in which information is controlled, categorised and disseminated. Yet, the stories resist such totalisation. The rigid layout and detailed typography of the newspaper offer a glimpse into the strategies of early information dissemination, reminding us of the complex interplay between order and chaos in the construction of public knowledge.