Brief aan Jan Veth Possibly 1882 - 1888

This letter, "Brief aan Jan Veth," was penned by Willem Witsen in Amsterdam on August 24, 1882. The script, with its dark ink against the aged paper, presents a fascinating interplay of form and content. Witsen’s handwriting, with its loops and sharp angles, creates a visual rhythm that guides the eye. The ascenders and descenders of the letters establish vertical lines, while the body of the text forms horizontal bands across the page. These formal elements mirror the structured thought process of communication itself. The texture of the paper adds another layer, with its subtle variations of tone. The letter format implies a relationship—a dialogue—between sender and recipient, revealing social structures and intellectual exchanges of the time. This artwork destabilizes our understanding of traditional portraiture; instead of an individual, we gain insight into a relationship, a moment captured through the materiality of ink and paper. The act of reading becomes an act of uncovering layers of meaning embedded in the texture and form.