Dimensions: height 365 mm, width 225 mm
Copyright: Rijks Museum: Open Domain
This newspaper clippings with news related to the Rendorp family was made in 1748. The visual field is densely packed, dominated by columns of tight, uniform text. The textural contrast between the coarse paper and the fine print creates a haptic tension. From a structuralist perspective, the layout reveals a hierarchy of information. Headlines serve as signifiers, organizing the text into discernible units. This structured presentation reflects the Enlightenment's emphasis on rationality and order, seeking to categorize and disseminate knowledge efficiently. The semiotic system at play here uses typography and layout to convey not just content, but also the value placed on informed citizenry. The regular grid of text is punctuated by the occasional emblem, a symbolic marker that adds another layer of meaning. This interplay between textual and symbolic elements challenges a purely literal reading, inviting us to decode the cultural and political subtexts embedded within the news. Ultimately, the formal arrangement of this newspaper functions as a microcosm of its time, encapsulating the era's pursuit of knowledge and its underlying power structures.
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