Brief aan jonkheer Hendrik Teding van Berkhout (1879-1969) Possibly 1933

This letter was written by Adriaan J. van 't Hoff in 1933 from The Hague. The artist's script flows across the page; the ink almost bleeds into the paper. I imagine van 't Hoff composing this text, carefully choosing each word, yet letting the pen move freely. You can feel the artist's presence through the handwriting. The loops and strokes, the varying pressure and speed – they all contribute to a sense of intimacy. I like to think about the physical act of writing: the grip on the pen, the movement of the hand, the way thoughts take shape as marks on a surface. You can sense the artist wanting his words to appear elegant and thoughtful. Painters and writers have long drawn inspiration from one another. The process of layering words, editing, and refining, mirrors the way a painter builds up layers of color and texture on a canvas. Each mark, each word, is a step in a process of discovery, revealing new possibilities and meanings. And just as a painting can be interpreted in countless ways, so too can a letter hold multiple layers of meaning, depending on who is reading it, and when.