Brief aan Jan Veth Possibly 1904

This letter to Jan Veth was written by Pieter Lodewijk Tak in 1904, probably with a dip pen and dark ink. The handwriting is tight and disciplined, yet it has a flowing rhythm. The lines of text lean into each other. Up close, you can see how the pressure varies in each stroke, creating a delicate contrast between thick and thin. Look at the way he forms the loops in the ‘l’s and ‘b’s, and the sharp angles in the ‘n’s and ‘m’s. These small details give a sense of Tak’s personality and his attention to detail. It is intimate, like a drawing but also incredibly considered. You can see echoes of the Dutch masters in Tak's work, especially in his use of light and shadow. The stark contrast between the dark ink and the pale paper recalls the dramatic chiaroscuro of Rembrandt. Tak wasn’t formally trained as an artist, so comparisons can also be made with the raw, unrefined energy of outsider art. But the way he uses the written word as a form of visual expression reminds me of the concrete poetry of the later Dada artists. It's a fascinating mix of influences.