Hulde aan Willem II 's Gravenhage 5 December 1840 / Ter herinnering der 's Gravenhaagsche Eerewacht welke Z.M. den Koning, Willem den 2e op den 5e December 1840 hebben ingehaald Aangevoerd door D.L. Welsink 1841

Johan Martin Leydenroth created this commemoration of Willem II’s arrival in The Hague on December 5, 1840 using pen in 1841. The artwork's material, paper, and the process of handwriting are deeply intertwined with its meaning. Paper, a relatively common material by the 19th century, provided a surface for recording events and ideas. Handwriting, a skill learned through disciplined practice, was a primary form of communication and documentation before widespread printing and typing. The elegant script speaks to the importance of penmanship as a social grace and a marker of education. The act of carefully forming each letter imbues the document with a sense of care and attention. The work involved in producing this piece also reflects the value placed on commemorating historical events, reinforcing a sense of national pride and social order. By focusing on the materiality and process of creation, we can appreciate how this seemingly simple artwork encapsulates broader social and cultural values of its time.