Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1886 - 1889

This is a carte postale, a paper postcard addressed to Philip Zilcken, "artiste-peintre" or artist-painter. The card was sent from the Hague, Holland, in 1886, by Willem Bastiaan Tholen, who was a Dutch painter associated with the Hague School. The Hague School was active during a period of significant social and cultural change in the Netherlands, as it moved towards modernization while grappling with its colonial past. Tholen and his contemporaries sought to capture the atmosphere and emotional resonance of the Dutch landscape and daily life. What stands out here is the intimacy of the communication, a personal note between artists in a time when the art world was becoming increasingly professionalized. As you look at the handwriting, consider the networks of artists that supported the development and dissemination of art in the late 19th century. Think about how artists supported each other, and how communication technologies allowed them to nurture their creative connections.