Gedicht op het zwaard waarmee Johan van Oldenbarnevelt in 1619 zou zijn onthoofd Possibly 1744 - 1746

This is a page from a manuscript by Lucas Pater, created in 1744, containing a poem written in ink on paper. The script presents a neat, formal arrangement that gives way to the flourish of signatures at the bottom right. Overall, the effect of the poem's structure, framed within the physical limits of the page, provokes a reflective pause on the meaning of its words. The poem itself is a semiotic structure. Pater uses language to engage with the historical and political context of Johan van Oldenbarnevelt's execution in 1619, destabilizing the established narrative around this event. The poem's form and content work together to create a space for questioning and reinterpretation. Consider the visual elements of Pater's script alongside the poem's themes. The precision and control in the script mirror the rigid social structures, while the content challenges this with its questioning of power and justice. This contrast between the poem's aesthetic and philosophical content highlights the complex interplay between form and meaning.