Ontwerp van een schrijfvoorbeeld: A mons H. Gout (...) 1605

This is a pen and ink writing sample, made by Jan van de Velde I, sometime between the late 16th and early 17th centuries. During this period, the Dutch Republic was emerging as a major center for trade and culture, marked by a growing merchant class and an emphasis on education and refined skills. Van de Velde’s "Ontwerp van een schrijfvoorbeeld" reflects the importance of elegant handwriting as both a practical skill and a form of artistic expression. The elaborate flourishes and carefully constructed letterforms speak to the social expectation for men of the merchant class to be educated and cultured. Calligraphy served as a visual display of their refinement. Consider how the act of writing, often associated with power and authority, intersects with notions of identity and status in the Dutch Golden Age. The design balances aesthetic beauty with functional communication, mirroring the era’s negotiation between tradition and modernity. This calligraphy is not just about transmitting words but about embodying social values.