Uitnodiging voor de begrafenis van Kees Salm, 1787 1787

This is an invitation to the funeral of Kees Salm, an etching created in Amsterdam in 1787 by an anonymous artist. The arrangement of text in the etching is quite striking. Note the hierarchy of size and weight that leads the eye from the formal announcement at the top to the more inflammatory descriptions of the deceased in the center. The shift in tone from formal to accusatory is mirrored in the graphic elements. While the upper text resembles typical announcements, the name "Kees Salm" is presented in a larger, bolder font, almost as if to emphasize a moment of scandal. The phrases "GEBANNEN GRAAF ZONDER GOED" and "GEPENZIONEERDE van" are in block letters, which serve to defame his title. The overall structure suggests a society grappling with dissent, where even funeral invitations become platforms for political statements.