Brief aan A.G.C. de Vries (1872-1936) Possibly 1912

Curator: Here at the Rijksmuseum, we have "Brief aan A.G.C. de Vries (1872-1936)," or "Letter to A.G.C. de Vries (1872-1936)," possibly from 1912, crafted by August Allebé. It’s an ink drawing on paper. Editor: It feels… intimate. Like catching a glimpse into someone’s personal thoughts. The cursive is beautiful, almost like an abstract pattern on its own, but slightly impenetrable to someone who can't read Dutch of that period. Curator: Indeed. Allebé's letters reveal much about the late 19th and early 20th century art world. The choice of ink and paper reflects the readily available materials of the time, essential tools for communication and artistic expression for a professor at the Amsterdam Academy. We need to remember that this wasn’t conceived as an artwork, more a practical piece of correspondence. Editor: Knowing it’s a letter does bring it down to earth. I see the almost frantic scratching of the pen, the quick, efficient loops and dashes…it really shows the hand of the artist, revealing its origins. It makes you think about how artists communicated then – no email, no quick texts. Curator: Absolutely. Letters were vital for negotiating prices and communicating new catalog additions. It shows the direct intersection of artistic creation and its market, its immediate context within a trading network of artists, buyers and artworks. We see a number of artworks listed in the second half of the sheet with corresponding prices for each. Editor: It’s also striking how casual and spontaneous it feels compared to, say, a formal painting. The messiness adds to its charm. You can tell it’s from an artist – even their handwriting is artistic. Curator: A letter like this shows the artist's work wasn't created in isolation; instead, it connects them directly to contemporary commerce and networks of other dealers and collectors. Editor: So, more than just art, this little scrap of paper offers a tangible link to a bygone era, the intimate world of August Allebé, connecting life and work through an ephemeral medium. Curator: Precisely. A reminder that even the most practical of documents can reveal profound insights into an artist’s life and labor.