Briefkaart aan Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk Possibly 1891 - 1898

This is the back of a briefkaart, or postcard, sent to Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk, the director of Museum Boijmans in Rotterdam. It dates to August 28, sometime around 1912, when Neuhuys died. The postcard itself speaks to the institutional and social networks through which art and ideas circulated at the time. Consider the role of museums like Boijmans in shaping artistic taste and canon formation in the Netherlands. Haverkorn's position as director gave him significant influence over what art was seen and valued. What role did this play in Neuhuys's career? The postcard format also points to the democratizing effects of mass communication. But who had access to these forms of communication? What does the use of cursive script say about social class and education? By studying archival material like this, alongside exhibition records, letters, and other primary sources, we can better understand the complex interplay between art, institutions, and society.