Plattegrond van de grafkelder van het Huis Oranje-Nassau c. 1767

This is N. v d Harg’s plan of the burial vault of the House of Orange-Nassau, in ink, on paper. The plan is rendered in muted tones, dominated by greys and off-whites, a palette that lends it an air of solemnity. It meticulously maps out the vault’s layout; the orthogonal lines are used to delineate the architecture and placement of coffins within. The stark, geometric shapes stand in contrast to the organic reality of death and decay. The map's structure invites semiotic interpretation. Coffins are neatly arranged, each labeled, suggesting a rigid social structure extending even into death. The clean lines and ordered arrangement may imply a desire to control the narrative around the deceased, presenting a composed facade of power. The plan may seek to memorialize and control the memory of the interred, transforming them into symbols within a carefully constructed lineage. Consider how the artist used line and form to convey a sense of order. This is not merely a map, but a symbolic representation of power, lineage, and remembrance.