Ontwerp van een schrijfvoorbeeld: Clariss. nobilissimoq[ue] (...). 1605

Jan van de Velde the First created this writing sample with pen and ink in the Netherlands, sometime around the turn of the 17th century. It’s a demonstration of calligraphic skill but also an explicit statement about the social function of that skill at the time. The flourishes aren’t merely decorative, they literally constitute the figures of courtiers, framing a block of Latin text. Note that it is dedicated to someone of high nobility. In the Dutch Republic at this time, literacy and penmanship were increasingly vital skills for commerce and governance. Fine handwriting elevated the status of the writer and the message itself. Skill in calligraphy was thus a form of social capital, and specimens like this were like advertisements for the artist’s services as an instructor. To fully understand this image, we might consult historical writing manuals and civic records to better understand the social and institutional contexts in which such skills were taught and deployed. Ultimately, this artwork reminds us that even seemingly decorative skills can play a vital role in shaping social hierarchies and power dynamics.