Brief aan Philip Zilcken 1875 - 1930

Cornelis Koppenol penned this letter to Philip Zilcken in the late 19th or early 20th century. The materials at play are simple: paper, ink, and the practiced hand of the writer. What makes this humble artifact interesting is precisely its directness. Koppenol’s words, rendered in looping cursive, speak of artistic matters: printmaking, pottery, and stops made for personal artistic endeavors, but the letter itself is also an example of crafted communication, a product of skilled labor. The materiality of the letter – its very script – becomes a testament to the daily work and correspondence that sustains the art world. Consider the hours spent perfecting penmanship, the physical act of writing, and the social context of letter writing as a primary means of communication. All of these elements underscore the inherent craft in everyday life, blurring the lines between the functional and the artistic. It's a reminder that even the simplest objects can carry profound cultural and historical weight.