Facsimile van de octrooi van de Staten van Utrecht tot het oprichten van de Utrechtse Hogeschool, 1636 1836

Marinus Adrianus van Straten created this facsimile of the Utrecht University charter using pen and ink, a document that reflects the intricate dance between power, knowledge, and identity in the 17th century Netherlands. At its heart, this document symbolizes access to knowledge and the structuring of intellectual life within a specific social order. The establishment of a university was not merely an educational endeavor, it was a political act, and a means of shaping cultural identity. The ornate calligraphy and the presence of the seal speak to the authority invested in the institution, reinforcing its role in legitimizing certain forms of knowledge and social hierarchies. Consider the gendered nature of education at the time. The university, while a beacon of enlightenment, largely excluded women from its hallowed halls, perpetuating a system where knowledge was a privilege of the male elite. What does it mean to create a facsimile of such an important document so many years later? How do we think about who has access to knowledge today? How far have we come?