Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1895

This is a note written by Anna Abrahams to Philip Zilcken, and though undated, it offers an intimate glimpse into a moment in time. Made with paper and ink, its materiality speaks to a period of personal correspondence. The delicate paper suggests a formal tone, yet the handwritten message conveys intimacy. The ink, likely iron gall, binds to the paper through a chemical reaction, a process that literally etches the words into the surface. Abrahams’s cursive script, with its elegant loops and flourishes, is very much of its time and place. The creation of this note involved skilled labor, from the production of the paper and ink to the act of writing itself. Consider the social context: literacy, access to materials, and the leisure to engage in personal correspondence were all privileges, and very gendered. This simple note is a window into a world where communication was a carefully crafted act. Looking at this note, we can move beyond traditional art history and consider the broader social and cultural significance embedded in its materials and making.