Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1903 - 1927

This handwritten letter to Philip Zilcken was created in 1908 by Cornelia van der Hart, a Dutch artist. The most immediate formal quality is its script, arranged in a compact, almost architectural structure, which gives the impression of a carefully constructed edifice. The ink's dark hue against the off-white paper creates a high-contrast visual experience. The density of the writing fills the page, allowing small margins, giving us an insight into the ideas that preoccupied Van der Hart. The act of writing itself becomes a form of self-portraiture, as the content relates to the author's thoughts on creating a biography. She engages with the idea of self-representation, considering how one’s life can be narrated and interpreted. The absence of a visual portrait is substituted by the intimate act of handwriting. The letter ultimately functions as a cultural artifact reflecting on the self and the process of artistic and personal representation. The materiality of the letter, from its paper to ink, serves as a powerful signifier, enriching our understanding of its cultural and philosophical significance.