Vreugdecourant bij 25-jarig regeringsjubileum van Willem V, 1791 Possibly 1791 - 1798

Curator: This intriguing print is entitled "Vreugdecourant bij 25-jarig regeringsjubileum van Willem V, 1791," marking William V's 25th jubilee. It's attributed to J. Peppelenbos. Editor: At first glance, I see a curious mix of textual density and ornate visual elements, something celebratory, yet strangely rigid. The eye doesn't know where to land! Curator: Well, that's quite typical. This engraving, probably produced sometime between 1791 and 1798, utilizes calligraphy and baroque ornamentation alongside dense text to celebrate and commemorate. Note the inclusion of portraiture amidst a style recalling the Dutch Golden Age. It’s essentially a decorated news bulletin. Editor: Yes, those vases flanking the text… loaded with symbolic weight, I presume? Are those stylized orange trees meant to reference the House of Orange? The use of ornament makes me think it functions almost like a commemorative plate produced en masse, with its implicit appeal to wide participation and even consumption. Curator: Absolutely. The orange tree is a clear visual metaphor, and those classically styled vases are no accident either. Beyond simple decoration, these are culturally loaded visual tools, emphasizing the Prince's authority by association with grandeur, prosperity, and the Golden Age's visual cues. This form serves to sanctify the image of the Stadtholder in order to affirm the strength of Dutch identity as the political landscape changed, the people still wished to see Willem as their champion. Editor: I agree, and it points to an interesting intersection of propaganda and popular culture. This wasn’t just about information dissemination; it was about actively shaping perception through readily reproducible images and textual appeals. It asks us to consider the networks of production, consumption, and meaning-making inherent in these kinds of commemorative items. Curator: Indeed, an object produced to consolidate power via symbols now invites our contemplation on its societal role. Editor: So a print celebrating Willem becomes, through time, a historical object inviting inquiry.