Tekst en lauwerkrans Possibly 1770 - 1815

This inscription, in pen and ink, with a laurel wreath, was made in December 1815 by an anonymous writer. The text is a poem, most likely written as a token of friendship from ‘Heinriette Sievers’ to the unknown recipient. The use of the laurel wreath around the text is a visual code that borrows from classical antiquity, referencing the victory and triumph of Roman leaders. While we do not know the specific geographic location in which this artwork was created, the fact that the poem is written in German points us to the Germanic states of the early nineteenth century. At the time, Germany as we know it today did not exist. Instead, the territory was composed of a large number of independent states with a shared language and culture. The poem is most likely a bourgeois creation, something given amongst friends and family. Further research into German social customs of the time may shed light on the meaning of this object.