Rouwvers bij de dood van Willem III, 1702 1702

This broadsheet, made in 1702 shortly after the death of William the Third, is a printed lament. Its black ink on paper conveys the sombre mood surrounding the King’s passing. The text, a mournful poem, is framed by a decorative border, and topped with a heraldic crest. But the real interest of this object lies in the mode of its production: printing. This was still a relatively new technology in the 18th century, one that allowed for the rapid dissemination of information and opinion. Broadsheets like this one were the social media of their day. Consider how this one was likely made: each letter of the text would have been individually cast in metal, assembled into the poem, then inked and pressed onto paper. It was undoubtedly produced quickly, in order to meet public demand for news and expressions of grief. The poem may mourn a King, but the broadsheet itself is evidence of a wider shift in power, as new technologies transformed society and culture. It reminds us to look at the means of production, when considering how the past speaks to us.