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

This is a handwritten poem by Jakob Brouwer, likely from the 17th century, titled "Poem on the sword with which Johan van Oldenbarnevelt was beheaded in 1619." The text dominates the visual field, its dark ink stark against the aged, off-white paper. The density of the script and the rhythmic up-and-down of the letters create an almost palpable sense of urgency, underscored by the poem's somber theme of injustice and execution. Brouwer uses the very materiality of the manuscript to amplify his message. The uneven lines, the blots of ink, and the cramped handwriting all serve as visual analogues to the turmoil and horror of Oldenbarnevelt's execution. It challenges the supposed objectivity of historical narrative. The poem's form mirrors its content, disrupting the neat, orderly lines one might expect from a commemorative verse. Through the act of writing and the visual form of the poem, Brouwer engages in a form of cultural critique. This functions not just as an aesthetic choice but as a powerful commentary on the nature of justice, memory, and historical representation.