Album met kalligrafische schrijfvoorbeelden van Bastiaan en Maarten Boers 1660 - 1751

This album of calligraphic writing examples was created by Bastiaan and Maarten Boers in the Netherlands, sometime around the late 17th or early 18th century. The cover design gives us insight into the social and cultural context of writing and education at that time. The swirling lines and decorative motifs point to the value placed on skill and artistry in penmanship. In a society where literacy was not universal, the ability to write beautifully was a mark of status and education. Calligraphy was not just a practical skill; it was an art form. This album would have served as a demonstration of the calligrapher's abilities, and perhaps as a teaching aid for students. To understand the album fully, it is helpful to examine educational practices and the market for writing skills in the Dutch Republic at the time. Looking at archival sources such as school records, guild regulations, and examples of handwriting manuals will give us more to consider. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.