Huwelijksgedicht voor Gerard ter Borch (II) en Geertruyt Matthys Possibly 1654

This is "Huwelijksgedicht voor Gerard ter Borch (II) en Geertruyt Matthys", a poem created in 1654 to celebrate a marriage. Printed on a single sheet, the poem is densely packed, utilizing a dark ink on aged paper to give a contrasting structure. The text is arranged in neat columns and framed by decorative initials, creating a balanced but rigid composition. The poem uses typography as a visual element. The poem's structure mirrors the formal conventions of 17th-century Dutch wedding poems, but it also aims to celebrate personal and social harmony. The layout suggests a desire for order and stability, with each line carefully justified. The visual experience is one of textual density, reflecting the importance of written communication and formal expression. The use of language and the carefully structured layout underscores how language and visual form combine to shape meaning and reflect cultural values. The poem's visual order conveys a sense of structured harmony appropriate to the occasion.