Vuurwerk te Utrecht ter ere van Willem IV, 1747 1747 - 1749

This engraving, titled "Fireworks in Utrecht in Honor of Willem IV," was created in 1747 by an anonymous artist. The print is dominated by a central scene of fireworks exploding above a structure, all rendered in stark monochrome. This core image is surrounded by smaller vignettes, creating a grid-like composition, each with its own symbolic meaning. The formal structure here creates a semiotic puzzle; the arrangement suggests a deliberate attempt to communicate on multiple levels. The fireworks, depicted with radiating lines, are contrasted by the rigid, orthogonal lines of the architectural structure beneath. This interplay might reflect the tension between fleeting celebration and established power. Consider how each vignette, framed and labeled, operates like a proposition in an argument. The artist seems to be building a case for Willem IV’s legitimacy and power through these symbolic elements. The stark contrast of the medium enhances this, reducing the visual experience to a binary of black and white, perhaps echoing the clear-cut choices in political life. This is not just spectacle, but a structured declaration.