Gedicht op het zwaard waarmee Johan van Oldenbarnevelt in 1619 zou zijn onthoofd Possibly 1745

This poem, made by Pieter Huizinga Bakker, is found on a page from a book. The stark contrast of dark ink on aged paper immediately draws the eye. The poem is tightly composed, with lines that mirror the constraints of the page, creating a sense of enclosure. Bakker uses language as a tool to dissect ideas of justice, power, and freedom. The neat script belies the tumultuous themes explored, which are heightened by the contrast between the formal structure of the poem and the disruptive content. The poem becomes an allegory for the conflict between tyranny and freedom, as Bakker uses the constraints of form to challenge the very ideas they represent. We are left to consider how art can question established meanings, revealing the tensions within our cultural and philosophical landscapes.