Brief aan Max Dittmar Henkel Possibly 1925

Curator: Ah, look at this— "Brief aan Max Dittmar Henkel," a letter, possibly from 1925, crafted with ink on paper. It's by R. Cleve and the artistry of the calligraphy strikes me first. Editor: It’s incredibly dense! My immediate feeling is a sense of profound intimacy mixed with something almost secretive, isn’t it? The script looks like it's whispering stories better left untold. Curator: That’s perceptive. Considering Cleve's meticulous use of ink to define the lines, a Formalist reading shows this as the tension between legibility and artistic expression. It's as if the act of writing—of carefully forming each letter—becomes paramount. Editor: It absolutely does. And what's the intent? It makes me think about communication in a very physical way; not just reading the words, but *feeling* the hand that guided the pen, someone making a strong point, with care! I wonder what their story was? Curator: I find myself curious, too. Though mostly obscured by the density, closer observation brings forth some of its content: It refers to someone named Reinier v. Isendoorn. There’s also reference to someone possibly named H.M. Hagen in Vaassen... Editor: Interesting. You read a bit like a detective cracking an old code there, that is the artist trying to connect dots here, making relationships to build his identity into the fabric of our world. I love that idea! Curator: Indeed. As the text flows, this "Brief" showcases the ability of line work and lettering in their construction but further transcends its literary roots by its formal values, into pure aesthetics and the act of transmission—artfully composed thought made indelible. Editor: It truly is something to look at—transmitting someone else's deep musings like a ghostly pen pal, right here, decades after the fact. And that beautiful script, full of so much life! It is not the mere transfer of content but is alive!