Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1894

This is a pre-printed postcard sent to Philip Zilcken; it's marked with a Dutch postage stamp and postmarked January 9, 1896. While seemingly a mundane artifact, the briefkaart offers a glimpse into the social customs of the late 19th century and the role of written correspondence in maintaining connections. The act of sending a brief note, versus a letter, reflects a certain level of intimacy or purposefulness. We can imagine A.F. Lange deciding what was important to convey. The handwriting, the choice of words, and the very act of sending a physical message through the postal system, all speak to a desire for connection and communication in a world where such exchanges were more deliberate. I wonder about Zilcken. What was his relationship to Lange? What feelings or thoughts did this brief message evoke in him when he received it? This little piece of paper carries within it a web of untold stories and emotions, a reminder of the human desire to reach out and touch the lives of others, even from a distance.