Aankondiging van het huwelijk van W.R. de Weerd en Dini Duinker op 29 juli 1937 te Den Haag c. 1937

This announcement, made in 1937, uses ink on paper to formally announce the upcoming wedding of W.B. de Weerd and Dini Duinker. The typography is just so cool, isn't it? I can't help but think about the tradition of handwriting and calligraphy here. Look at the way the ink sits on the paper, so even and controlled; each letter perfect. It's as if the entire announcement is one single, delicate brushstroke. It makes me think of the quiet patience required to produce such a precise work. The formality of the typeface, mixed with the personal information and handmade texture, gives the announcement a great energy. It feels both official and deeply personal. It's an interesting precursor to graphic design, and yet, in it's formality, it reminds me of the work of Ed Ruscha, who elevates plain language to art. In that way, this announcement invites us to consider how the act of announcing can be an art form in itself, transforming an ordinary message into something quite special.