Krantenknipsel betreffende de schilderijenverzameling van Willem Lormier Possibly 1763 - 1767

This is a newspaper clipping regarding the art collection of Willem Lormier, printed in 1763. Think about what it took to produce this object. Back then, paper was made from pulped rags – so worn-out clothing literally became the ground for the news. The information was typeset by hand, letter by letter, and then printed on a mechanical press. Consider all the labor involved: the rag pickers, paper makers, compositors, press operators. Each copy represents hours of work. And what about the news itself? In this case, it concerns an art collection, a luxury that few could afford. So, here we have a convergence of class interests. On the one hand, the labor-intensive production of the newspaper itself, and on the other, the consumption habits of the wealthy elite. This little piece of paper is a testament to the deep entanglement of culture, commerce, and the everyday lives of people. It reminds us that nothing is truly separate from the world of making.