Title Page for Zinspelende Gedigtjes - Pieter de Mare

A formal 1806 title page featuring typography and a small etched vignette of a putto, produced by Dutch engraver Pieter de Mare.

This print is the title page for the publication 'Zinspelende Gedigtjes', a collection of poems paired with etchings. The work demonstrates the collaborative nature of Dutch book production during the early nineteenth century. Pieter de Mare, a Dutch engraver, executed the plates based on drawings by Christina Chalon. The text provides details regarding the contributors, including the poet J. Le Francq van Berkhey and the collector H. A. Dibbets, whose private collection housed the original drawings.

The composition is dominated by formal typography, typical of the period, which lists the contributors and the publisher, Willem van Vliet. At the base of the page, a small, finely executed etching depicts a putto seated upon clouds. The figure holds a trumpet, a traditional iconographic element often associated with fame or proclamation. Beside the figure rests a shield bearing a monogram. The inclusion of this vignette provides a decorative balance to the structured, vertical arrangement of the text above.

Pieter de Mare is known for his technical precision in engraving and etching, often working on reproductive prints that translated the works of other artists into a medium suitable for mass distribution. This title page serves as a record of the cultural exchange between artists, writers, and collectors in Amsterdam. The print reflects the aesthetic values of the era, where clarity of information and refined, small-scale illustrative detail were prioritised. The paper quality and the crispness of the letterpress combined with the etched vignette offer a glimpse into the standards of Dutch printing houses in 1806. This piece is a document of historical interest, capturing the intersection of literature and visual art in the Netherlands.