Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken before 1886

This is a pre-printed postcard designed by Willem Witsen in the Netherlands, likely in the 1890s, for correspondence within the artistic community. The very design of this card speaks to the institutionalization of art. Note the pre-printed word "Briefkaart" at the top, marking it as a standardized form of communication sanctioned by the postal service. The royal crest signifies state endorsement and the stamp indicates that the state sanctioned postal service delivered it. The card is addressed to fellow artist, Philip Zilcken, suggesting a network of artists who relied on institutional structures for communication and the circulation of ideas. The Rijksmuseum's acquisition of this object places it within a system of valuation and preservation. To understand this card fully, archival research into the correspondence of Witsen and Zilcken, as well as an examination of the postal history of the Netherlands, would be essential. This illuminates the conditions under which art is created, disseminated, and ultimately, preserved as a historical artifact.