Hij Komt! 1853 - 1854

This song sheet, "Hij Komt!," was created by Weytingh & van der Haart in April 1853. It is a printed piece, a "Volkszang" meant to be sung by the people to the tune of Tollens. The lyrics welcome the King to Amsterdam. This was a moment of relative industrial maturity; printing was an established means of circulating text, no longer the domain of a select few scribes. As such, this song sheet connects to the wider social issue of popular expression, where the voices of the collective could be amplified and shared. Consider the amount of work involved: typesetting the font, preparing the press, and distributing the sheet. These processes imbue the artwork with cultural significance, showing how a monarch’s visit was carefully orchestrated, down to the level of popular song. Understanding the materials, making, and context allows us to appreciate the social and political dynamics embedded in this seemingly simple piece of printed ephemera.