Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1904 - 1914

This is the back of a postcard to Philip Zilcken by Henri-Gabriel Ibels, who was writing from France sometime in the early 20th century. The colours are muted, like watercolour left in the sun too long, and everything is softened by time. Look at the handwriting, so graceful and arching, the way the ink bleeds slightly into the paper, like a memory fading at the edges. There are stamps and postmarks, each a little burst of graphic energy. The circular ones feel almost like mini-paintings. In the lower left, you can see a faded inscription - like a half-erased thought, hovering between presence and absence. This postcard reminds me of Cy Twombly, the way scribbles can become art, and the everyday turns poetic. It’s more than just a message; it's a small, intimate performance played out on paper. Art isn't just about grand statements. It's in the fleeting, the throwaway, the overlooked.