Departementaal Dagblad van de Zuiderzee. Extra Ordinaire Amsterdamsche Courant. Ao 1814 / No. 6 / 29 maart 1814 Possibly 1814

This newspaper, printed in Amsterdam on March 29, 1814 by Stadsdrukkerij, is made from paper and ink, humble materials that were then at the heart of a rapidly expanding print industry. This kind of printed matter was instrumental in shaping public opinion. Consider the texture of the paper, its relatively low cost, and the speed with which it could be produced. These factors allowed information – or propaganda – to circulate widely. Newspapers like this one played a crucial role in the formation of national identity. Notice the density of the text, typical of the era. The act of reading such a document would have been a labor-intensive process. The very materiality of the newspaper, therefore, speaks volumes about the social and political context in which it was made. The value of this artwork lies not only in its content, but also in the way it reflects the modes of production and consumption that were transforming Europe at the time. It challenges us to consider the newspaper not just as a source of information, but as a designed object, a product of industrialization, and a shaper of public discourse.