Brief aan Anneus Marinus Brouwer Possibly 1923 - 1925

This letter to Anneus Marinus Brouwer was written in 1923 by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst, using ink on paper. The letter’s energy comes from the sheer number of handwritten words, carefully placed. Holst’s handwriting has a rhythm all its own, with the varying pressure and speed of his hand creating a unique texture. Look at the way the letters lean and loop, almost as if they’re dancing on the page. Notice how some words are densely packed, while others stretch out, creating moments of emphasis and breath. There is one word, ‘evangelision,’ that has a particularly expressive loop. It shows us the process of writing and thinking as a fluid, unbroken gesture. There's something about the physicality of handwriting that brings you closer to the artist’s thoughts, and makes me think of Cy Twombly’s scribbled paintings, where the act of writing becomes a form of drawing. With this piece, Holst isn't just conveying information; he's giving us a direct line to his thought process.