Overlijdensbericht aan Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk Possibly 1899

Editor: This is a print, "Overlijdensbericht aan Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk", possibly from 1899, by N. Havermans. It looks like a death announcement. The typography and stark presentation feel very formal. What aspects of its creation and context are most significant to you? Curator: Well, as a materialist, I'm drawn to the paper itself, and the printing process. Think about the labor involved in producing something like this at the turn of the century. The typesetting, the inking, the pressure applied to the paper…each one involved a craftsman and particular materials. We can’t separate the message from its mode of production. Who was this Havermans, and what was his relationship to printmaking and the consumption of grief? Editor: So, beyond just conveying information about a death, the announcement also acts as a representation of labour, material processes and a cultural interest around mourning and remembering the dead? Curator: Precisely! And how was paper perceived then? Was it a readily available material or something more precious? Did the choice of paper impact the perception of respect afforded to the deceased? Consider the social function of this kind of print: a tool for the distribution of grief but also social maintenance. The work becomes less about an individual life and more about how society deals with death, seen through the lens of material culture. Editor: It's interesting to consider how a simple death announcement can be so rich with meaning. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. Reflecting on this reminds me how seemingly mundane objects offer insights into labour, resource value, and the societal structures around ritual and memory.