Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1889

This letter, penned by Jean-Léon Gérôme in 1889, carries within its script symbols of human connection. The most obvious of these is the written word itself, a motif deeply intertwined with our longing for communication across time and space. The act of writing, particularly in a personal letter, is a symbolic gesture, a reaching out. It mirrors ancient forms of communication, from hieroglyphs to cuneiform, where symbols represented not just objects but also emotions and ideas. The curve of a letter, the slant of a line—these are not merely functional; they are imbued with the spirit of the writer, his anxieties, and hopes. Consider how the very form of handwriting, unique to each individual, becomes a symbol of identity, a trace of the self. Even the phrase "Ton affectionné. Toujours plonge dans l'argile" at the close of the letter speaks volumes. Clay, or "argile," as a primal artistic medium, as the raw stuff of creation, evoking an eternal cycle of creativity. In this way, we can sense the cyclical and continuous nature of creativity across the ages, a theme that continues to resurface in different guises, always reflecting our deepest, most persistent human needs.