Poorter Eed Possibly 1783

Curator: "Poorter Eed", possibly from 1783, made with ink on paper. What strikes me is how everyday life is captured through this document. What's your initial impression? Editor: I find it intriguing – it looks like an official document. I am drawn to the combination of printed text and handwritten calligraphy, how would you interpret its production and meaning? Curator: It's essentially a citizen's oath, likely required for civic participation in Amsterdam. The interplay between printed and handwritten elements is key. What kind of labour went into its creation, who was producing it? The pre-printed form represents standardization, bureaucratic processes. Editor: And the handwritten parts? Curator: Those demonstrate individual engagement. This "Margareta Caldrina Kressel" takes the oath; her name and the witness's are inscribed manually. Consider the paper itself - where was it made, how accessible was it, what does the materiality of the paper tell us? Editor: That's interesting. It wasn't something churned out on a printer, so the paper and calligraphy represent higher value, and therefore, greater import to the oath. Curator: Precisely! The materiality of the oath reflects on the power structures it upholds. How is the document physically constructed as a means of asserting that civic commitment? What implications arise from consuming the document through reading and keeping it? Editor: I never thought about an oath in those terms. It goes beyond just the words! Curator: It certainly does! Considering how such an ordinary object connects to social context brings to light elements of materiality, labor, and cultural power!