Briefkaart aan Jan Veth Possibly 1894 - 1897

This is a handwritten letter, penned by Karel Johan Lodewijk Alberdingk Thijm in 1894. Its power lies in the stark contrast between the dense, dark script and the off-white paper. The script, a web of tightly knit lines, dominates, creating a visual texture that is almost sculptural. The torn edge of the paper adds another layer, destabilizing our expectations of a formal document. Here, Thijm employs a unique form, the personal letter, to explore public themes. The handwriting, usually a private act, becomes a medium for conveying cultural ideas. Note how the materiality of the letter—the paper's texture and the ink's darkness—serve as signs in a semiotic system. The letter form can be interpreted within the codes of communication and artistic expression of the time. The raw, unpolished form invites an ongoing dialogue and prompts us to reconsider the boundaries between personal communication and public expression.