Gedicht op de dood van Maarten Tromp, gesneuveld in de Zeeslag bij Terheide, 1653 1850 - 1863

This poem, written by Jeremias de Decker in 1653, commemorates Maarten Tromp's death, using ink on paper. The writing process here is so central. The pressure exerted on the quill, the consistency of the ink, and the texture of the paper all affect the final appearance of the handwritten words, so different than if they were printed. De Decker has created this memorial by hand, and this act is closely tied to labor, skill, and cultural value. In a pre-industrial age, handwriting was highly valued, but also, access to the tools to write, like paper and ink, would not have been a given. The act of writing itself, and the ability to do so elegantly, speaks to the social context of the artwork. Considering the labor involved in creating this handwritten manuscript highlights the cultural significance of both the poem and the act of memorializing a national hero. It challenges the traditional distinctions between art, craft, and social commentary.