Brief aan J.H. de Bois 1884 - 1952

This is a letter by Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries to J.H. de Bois, undated, and written in the Netherlands. Though it seems a simple letter, it's a document that hints at the material conditions of artistic production in the early 20th century. De Vries writes about lithographs made after drawings from Venice, Antwerp, and Bruges, and refers to production costs. The letter seems to be about figuring out how to exploit these lithographs. It mentions purchase prices and different prices per set, and also discusses printing on Japanese paper. This shows us that De Vries was very concerned about the financial aspects of his art. Documents like these letters are invaluable to art historians. By examining them, we gain insight into the economic realities that artists faced, the strategies they used to market their work, and the social networks they relied upon for support.