Kalligrafie op het overlijden van prins Willem IV, 1751 1751 - 1752

This calligraphic print commemorating the death of Prince William IV was made in 1751 in the Dutch Republic. Its anonymous maker produced it for the Portuguese Jewish community in Amsterdam. The print’s elaborate lettering, ornate flourishes and emblematic imagery indicate the important role of the House of Orange in Dutch society. More specifically, the print testifies to the complex relationship between the Dutch Republic and its Jewish population. The text demonstrates that members of the Portuguese Jewish Nation in Amsterdam saw themselves as loyal subjects to the Prince of Orange. A close reading indicates that they saw the prince's death as a loss for their own community. By delving into archives, we might examine communal and consistorial records of the Portuguese Jewish community in Amsterdam to understand more clearly the social and political role of this print and the complex relationship between the House of Orange and the Jewish community in the Netherlands.