Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1906 - 1914

This is a letter by Johannes de Koo written in the late 19th century. The text itself might seem mundane, but handwriting as a form of visual communication speaks volumes about social relations, institutional practices, and cultural values of its time. In the Netherlands, during the late 1800s, the structure of society was highly organized and stratified. The ability to write legibly and elegantly reflected one's education and social standing. Note the letter's formal salutation and the writer's careful penmanship. Such features were not merely aesthetic choices, but social codes defining how people communicated across different levels of society. The rise of the postal system and increasing literacy rates also shaped communication and changed social behavior. Understanding this letter requires us to look beyond the surface of its content, diving into archives and historical documents to reveal the intricate social, economic, and political networks in which De Koo operated. This letter offers a rich, layered snapshot of a society in transition.