Uitnodiging voor de begrafenis van Paul de Hooghe (1611-1674) before 1677

Curator: What we have here is a printed invitation, predating 1677, for the funeral of Paul de Hooghe, made by Abraham Wolfgang. The starkness of the engraved lettering against the aged paper really highlights the announcement's somber purpose, doesn't it? What grabs your attention when you look at this, Editor? Editor: Well, first, I find it really fascinating how something so ephemeral, just an invitation, can survive so long. I’m also drawn to the…the mechanics of its creation. How did they make something like this back then, and what can it tell us? Curator: Precisely! Consider the labor involved. This isn't just about Wolfgang’s artistic skill; it’s about the engraver’s painstaking work with metal, the paper-making processes, the social need for communicating this information. Think about the consumption of printed materials in 17th-century Netherlands – who would have received this invitation, and what was its life span *after* the funeral? The material conditions of its production speak volumes. Editor: So, beyond just being a notification of a funeral, this object holds so much material and social history… the physical thing becomes almost more significant than its message. What does the script tell us? Curator: The script connects to the craft, emphasizing this was not just a message, but a production. Lettering was both art and process, designed to both inform and affect those that encountered it. Editor: I guess I hadn't considered all the layers of making this unveils about society. Thanks for broadening my view on art beyond just aesthetics. Curator: My pleasure. Always consider: who made it, and how, and then you begin to understand *why* it truly matters.