Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1922

Editor: This is “Brief aan Philip Zilcken,” possibly from 1922. It's a letter, actually a drawing in ink on paper, probably penned by Vittorio Pica. It's so simple, a casual handwritten note...it feels so personal and intimate. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: What I see, quite literally, is the gesture of communication captured in ink. This letter, now nearly a century old, whispers stories beyond its immediate content. Look at the seal at the top; consider its origin from Il Secretario Generale. And, yes, the script’s fading elegance reveals not only the intended message but also the patina of time. It invites you to contemplate how handwritten correspondence served as a vital connection, a form of intimate exchange. Have you considered what the choice of ink on paper, as opposed to a typed letter, might reveal? Editor: Perhaps it emphasizes a more human connection, a deliberate and slower pace. Almost like savoring each word as it’s written and received. Curator: Exactly. Each stroke carries the artist’s intention and emotions. What looks like a simple note transforms into a personal declaration. But think about Zilcken, too; he was a Dutch painter, engraver and art critic... Editor: Oh wow! A dialogue between artists across time and space, carried on paper. This sheds an altogether new light on the artifact. Thanks for this. Curator: My pleasure! It's easy to dismiss such items, but so much lives in such unassuming objects!