Briefkaart aan Willem Bogtman Possibly 1923

This postcard was made by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst, probably using ink, in the early 1920s. It’s a snapshot of a moment, right? Like a painting, but sent through the mail. I love how the handwriting meanders, almost like a drawing. It’s dense, like a thicket, and the words seem to huddle together. It makes me think about how we communicate, the layers of meaning we pack into something as simple as a postcard. Holst wasn’t just sending a message, he was crafting an experience. Look at the smudges and the way the ink pools in places. It reminds us of the physical act of writing, the pressure of the pen on the paper. The stamps and postmarks aren’t just bureaucratic necessities but also abstract elements that add texture and depth. The diagonal strokes in the text are echoed in the mark of the post, like a conversation between the words and the world. Holst was part of a whole movement of artists exploring graphic design, like, say, the Vienna Secession. This postcard is a reminder that art is everywhere, even in the mundane, and it’s always talking to other art across time and space.