Briefkaart aan Anna Dorothea Dirks before 1915

This briefkaart, or postcard, was written by Henriëtte Roland Holst-van der Schalk, a Dutch socialist poet and writer. Though undated, the postmark indicates it was sent in January 1920. Holst-van der Schalk’s handwritten message to Anna Dorothea Dirks, a fellow writer, offers a glimpse into the social networks of early 20th-century Dutch intellectuals. The postcard format itself speaks to the democratizing effects of new communication technologies at the time, making correspondence more accessible and immediate. Holst-van der Schalk was a prominent figure in the Dutch socialist movement, known for her poetry and essays that combined Marxist ideas with ethical and spiritual concerns. We can see this commitment in her efforts to forge connections and build solidarity among like-minded individuals. To fully understand this postcard, one might consult archives of Dutch literary and political history, biographies of Holst-van der Schalk, and studies of the socialist movement in the Netherlands. Such research helps us understand art as always embedded within specific social and institutional contexts.