Brief aan de commissie van de Tentoonstelling van Levende Meesters in Utrecht Possibly 1848

This letter was composed by Hendrik Hollander Cz. in 1848. It is wrought using paper, and ink, common materials of everyday communication. Consider the labor that went into the production of this document: the preparation of the ink, the making of the paper itself, and the act of carefully writing out the letter. The letter's content reveals Hollander's intention to submit paintings to the Exhibition of Living Masters in Utrecht, along with the prices he seeks for them. These details offer a glimpse into the economic realities and social networks that sustain artistic practice. This letter is evidence of the artist as a working person, navigating the practicalities of their profession. By focusing on the material and social context of its creation, we understand how it challenges traditional distinctions between art and commerce.