Klinkdicht op de verkiezing van Willem IV tot stadhouder, 1747 1747

This broadside, made in 1747, commemorates the election of Willem IV. Johan van Eysden van Achlum created it using printing techniques, likely engraving or etching, processes deeply tied to the burgeoning print culture of the time. The work's appearance is directly influenced by the nature of printing. The sharp, precise lines of the text and any accompanying imagery speak to the mechanical reproduction process. Printing allowed for the dissemination of information and propaganda on an unprecedented scale. This particular broadside highlights the social and political significance of printed materials, used to sway public opinion and celebrate political events. Consider the labor involved: from the skilled hands of the engraver to the operators of the printing press, this object embodies a collective effort. The broadside circulated widely, becoming part of the fabric of everyday life. Appreciating its materiality and production processes enriches our understanding of its cultural resonance, dissolving traditional boundaries between art and printed matter.