Gedicht op het zwaard waarmee Johan van Oldenbarnevelt in 1619 zou zijn onthoofd 1743 - 1745

This is Frans Greenwood’s ‘Poem on the sword with which Johan van Oldenbarnevelt was beheaded in 1619’, likely made in the early 18th century. The delicate lines and cursive script of the text create a visually dense and intimate space on the page. The poem, presented in the Dutch language, appears to be Greenwood’s meditation on justice, loss, and memory. The overall composition, with its ordered yet flowing lines of text, evokes a sense of controlled grief. The formal structure of the poem, divided into verses, mirrors the historical narrative it conveys, each stanza working as a structured reflection on the tragic event. Notice the visual weight given to Greenwood's signature at the bottom right. It acts as a powerful signifier of the artist's presence and authority. The poem's arrangement and the signature are not merely aesthetic choices; they represent Greenwood's careful construction of meaning, inviting us to contemplate the complex interplay between language, history, and art.