Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1918

This Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken was produced in 1918 by Hélène van Goethem. It is an intimate painted missive. The surface is all texture. Look how the ink has seeped into the fibres, and at those embossed postal marks, the stamp with its cancellations. I love how the writing appears to float on top of the ground, or maybe it’s sunk into it, a kind of archaeology of mark-making. I imagine Goethem sitting at a small table, pen in hand, carefully choosing her words, each stroke of the pen deliberate and full of intent. Each letter a gesture, a feeling made visible. The curves and loops of the script tell their own story, whispering secrets of connection and longing. I wonder what Philip Zilcken thought when he received this card? The tradition of painting is filled with such exchanges, artists responding to and building upon the ideas of those who came before. Goethem’s card feels part of this conversation, a humble yet powerful reminder of the human desire to connect, communicate, and leave our mark on the world.