Brief aan jonkheer Hendrik Teding van Berkhout (1879-1969) before 1932

Artist: Isn't it lovely? A tangible piece of history... feels like finding a little note tucked away in a dusty attic trunk. The texture, the slightly faded ink—almost poetic, no? Historian: It is indeed a tangible link to the past. What we're looking at is "Brief aan jonkheer Hendrik Teding van Berkhout (1879-1969)," a drawing rendered in ink on paper, dating from before 1932 by Frederika Henriëtte Broeksmit. Essentially, the address side of a letter. Artist: Oh, it's the *address*! That's the art? Suddenly, the calligraphy takes center stage for me. The delicate loops, the decisive serifs... you can feel the intention behind each stroke. There's a personality shining through there, absolutely. It makes me want to write a letter! Historian: It's more than just calligraphy, though. It’s also a piece of institutional history. Addressed to the Director of the Rijksprentenkabinet, which later became the Rijksmuseum Print Room, in Amsterdam. It speaks to the connections and bureaucratic workings of the art world at that time. Artist: Right, I see that... Department, number, etc. For me though, it's like, who was this Jonkheer van Berkhout? What secrets did this letter hold? It hints at an intimate exchange in a very formal, almost public way. There is a really private part. Historian: Intriguing questions. Hendrik Teding van Berkhout, as the inscription says, received many gifts for museums as it indicates that Broeksmit herself maintained contacts with the print cabinet. These sketches give a fleeting look at artistic and curatorial processes that were occurring. Artist: A fleeting look... I love that description! And I keep getting pulled back to the craftsmanship. It’s all these tiny human moments strung together by pen and ink. Like capturing time. A really intimate artifact. Historian: Exactly. An artifact demonstrating how artistic, political, and institutional histories intersect and contribute meaning to this singular "letter" to the Director. Artist: That's quite beautiful when you explain it like that. Makes me think more of history and my role in it... thank you. Historian: And thank you; it's fascinating to observe these items as both official documentation and works imbued with the artist's intentions.