Amsterdamsche Courant van 11 oktober 1788 Possibly 1788

Hendrik Linsen created this newspaper, "Amsterdamsche Courant" from October 11, 1788, using paper and ink. Consider the material of paper, made from processed plant fibers, a ground for disseminating information. The printing process itself, using moveable type, was laborious. Each letter was individually set to form words and sentences, then inked and pressed onto the paper. The texture and weight of the paper speak to the resources and labor required to produce it, as well as the potential for mass communication that it held. The act of printing itself was a political statement, enabling the spread of ideas and news. Look closely at the dense columns of text, revealing the stories and concerns of the time, connecting to the wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. This newspaper bridges the gap between information as craft and commodity, reminding us that the very act of making and distributing knowledge is a powerful form of cultural production.