Beschrijving van de lijkstatie en begrafenis van Wolter Jan Gerrit baron Bentinck, 1781 1781

This text, printed by Gerrit van Ojen in Amsterdam in 1781, details the funeral procession of Wolter Jan Baron Bentinck. The rigid structure of the text mirrors the rigid social structure it describes. Notice how the page is divided into precise blocks of information. The structured lists, organized into numbered sections, read like a registry of names and titles, mapping out Bentinck’s social network. The language creates a strong sense of hierarchy and order through carefully constructed sentences. The density of the text contributes to a feeling of formality, of restrained emotion. Consider how the symmetrical arrangement and typographic choices reinforce the themes of order and social stratification. This printed account doesn't just describe the funeral, it performs the social order of the time. The elaborate detailing of each participant's rank and position emphasizes the importance of maintaining social boundaries even in death.