Nieuwjaarswens van twee boden van Willem I, prins van Oranje, voor het jaar 1584 1861 - 1927

Jean Jacques Antoine van Winsen created this print, titled *New Year's Greeting from Two Messengers of William I, Prince of Orange, for the Year 1584*. The print is structured around a central framed image with figures flanking a heraldic crest, topped by old Dutch script. Below the framed image, handwritten wishes sprawl across what looks like aged parchment, adding a deeply personal and ephemeral quality to the piece. Van Winsen has created a work that destabilizes traditional notions of public and private expression. The formal, printed wishes intended for the Prince of Orange intersect with the messy, individual handwriting of the messengers. The materiality of the aged parchment—its tears and stains—further underscores themes of temporality and change. These formal elements challenge the fixed meanings and values typically associated with heraldry and formal greetings. The overall structure invites us to consider how personal expressions interact with broader historical and political structures. It’s not just a historical record, but also a profound reflection on the nature of meaning, communication and representation.