Geschreven toelichting op de 24 rechters, de fiscaals en de provoost 1710 - 1720

This handwritten document, likely produced in the Netherlands, is a record of judgment. Its materials are simple: ink on paper. But the appearance of the document is anything but, and it's the calligraphy here that really demands our attention. Notice how the penmanship is deployed to create not just words, but an entire atmosphere. This kind of script would have been the product of years of training. The writer's skill would have been a valuable asset in the early modern period. The text itself, with its careful arrangement of names and places, speaks to the meticulous work of governance. The script, however, hints at the human labor involved. Every stroke of the pen is a testament to the hand that guided it. And within the careful penmanship, we can discern broader questions of labor, class, and the social context of its time. This piece reminds us that even the most seemingly straightforward documents are imbued with history and social relations.