Briefkaart aan Willem Bogtman Possibly 1924 - 1925

Editor: Here we have Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst's "Briefkaart aan Willem Bogtman," likely from 1924-1925, using ink on paper. There's a strange intimacy to seeing the back of someone’s mail, like peeking into a moment. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: You know, seeing this makes me think of the ephemeral nature of connection, how easily a message, a sentiment, travels and then... well, who knows? Roland Holst, of course, was such a master of merging aesthetics with daily life. His calligraphy here transforms a mundane object into something poetic, wouldn’t you say? It reminds me of how the Symbolists sought beauty in the everyday, but with that distinct Dutch sobriety. Is the handwriting, perhaps, a bit rushed or carefree to your eye? Editor: I see what you mean. There’s a casualness, a personal touch, to the penmanship. The stamp and the postal markings become part of the overall design, almost accidental, yet integral. So it's not just the message but the act of sending it? Curator: Precisely. Think of it: this "Briefkaart" bridges artist and friend, form and function, past and present. Perhaps this small drawing holds more universals than some large and labored history painting. Did it change how you see postcards, then? Editor: It absolutely does! I now consider the personal and intentional artistry of these fleeting messengers. Curator: Me too! It goes to show that you really can find a whole universe in something as small as a postcard.