Cirkelvormige acrostichon op het herstel van prins Willem V, 1787 1788

This circular acrostic, made in 1787 by Cornelis Koen, uses ink on paper to celebrate the restoration of Prince William V. The text spirals around a central image, creating a visual maze that draws the eye in multiple directions simultaneously. The form itself embodies the content: the cyclical nature of political fortune. The circular arrangement of text and image destabilizes the conventional linear reading experience, inviting us to consider the poem as a structure rather than a narrative. The symmetry suggests a balance, yet the uneven distribution of textual weight disrupts any sense of perfect equilibrium. The use of acrostic form—where initial letters spell out a message—further complicates the reading. This layering of meaning, where the overt celebration conceals a deeper, coded message, challenges fixed interpretations, reminding us that art serves as a site of ongoing interpretation, influenced by cultural codes and power dynamics.