Nieuwjaarswens van de lantaarnopstekers van Zaandam voor het jaar 1838 1837 - 1838

This is a New Year's greeting from the lamplighters of Zaandam for the year 1838, made by Hermanus Numan. The print combines text with an image of Zaandam. The composition is neatly divided, with the cityscape above and the poem below, unified by a consistent use of black ink on a light background. The linear precision in the cityscape contrasts with the dense text. Semiotically, the image presents an ordered view of urban life, while the text, a carefully constructed verse, seeks divine favor. The poem, with its formal structure, invokes blessings upon the town’s officials, laborers, and its youth, constructing a vision of social harmony and divine providence. Consider the use of typography and the visual hierarchy established between the image, the heading, and the poem. The artist created a structured framework within which the community’s hopes and values are articulated and framed within a narrative of social order and divine blessing.