Nieuwjaarswens van Ir. A.H. Schelling en familie before 1945

This print, a New Year’s greeting from Ir. A.H. Schelling and family, employs a striking typographic arrangement to convey its message. The text, rendered in a bold, block-like font and set against a red background, invokes the symbolic power of the written word. The act of sending New Year's greetings has roots in ancient Roman traditions, where exchanging well wishes at the start of the year was thought to bring good fortune. The structure of the text, with each word carefully stacked, reminds me of ancient votive inscriptions where the symbolic act of writing was as powerful as the message itself. Consider the psychological weight of such a greeting during uncertain times. The desire for a "Happy New Year" speaks to the universal human need for hope and renewal. It’s a visual talisman that carries the weight of collective expectations, a primal expression of optimism passed down through generations. This New Year's wish is a reminder of how symbols evolve, carrying our hopes, fears, and shared memories into the future.