Brief aan Jan Ponstijn Possibly 1932 - 1939

Curator: So, here we have "Brief aan Jan Ponstijn" by Leo Gestel, potentially from the 1930s. It's a mixed-media piece incorporating drawing, pen work, and paper, held in the Rijksmuseum. What's your initial read? Editor: Immediate impression: intimacy. It feels incredibly personal, like stumbling upon a private correspondence. The handwritten script, the aged paper... it’s heavy with unspoken history, and slightly melancholic. Curator: Absolutely. Gestel used mixed media—pen and ink on what appears to be homemade or aged paper, definitely adding to the emotional depth. Knowing his abstract and Cubist tendencies, this is very down to earth and quite raw, I would say. Editor: I agree, raw is the word. I am so drawn to the paper itself; you can almost feel the fibers and see the production process right there. It highlights labor – his hand moving across the page, the crafting of the paper, everything seems very laborious. Did Gestel often create his own paper stock? Curator: There’s evidence he enjoyed the intimacy of the personal sketchbook, allowing him to share thoughts that feel free and exploratory. Look closer, and the hand-drawn typeface offers more meaning that escapes mechanization of standardized fonts. In other words, deeply felt thought given expressive, material form. Editor: Definitely, I would argue that Gestel isn’t merely writing a letter here. The "Brief" transforms into a multi-layered object where each production element signifies intent: the type of ink used, the selection of paper, the act of sketching and over-writing... I appreciate his blurring lines between formal art and humble, even mundane, actions. Curator: Indeed. A letter becomes more than just the words—it is almost a meditation or self-exploration. You feel his energy pouring through every line. Editor: It leaves me wondering about Jan Ponstijn—the addressee— and what significance they held in Gestel's life. This object speaks volumes without disclosing secrets. Curator: Right. And perhaps, as the viewer, we're not meant to know all the secrets. Maybe the real artistry lies in sparking our curiosity to discover them and, most crucially, what is hidden deep in our own. Editor: Yes, beautifully said, and a compelling material analysis enhances, rather than detracts, from its innate and emotional resonance.