Brief aan Jean Zacharie Mazel Possibly 1829

Curator: This is a letter entitled, "Brief aan Jean Zacharie Mazel," attributed to Frédéric Théodore Faber and believed to have been written around 1829. It's a drawing, penned in ink on paper, housed here at the Rijksmuseum. The artwork exemplifies Romanticism, if you consider pen on paper to be a tangible manifestation of an ephemeral thought. Editor: Ah, yes, "ephemeral" feels right. You know, looking at this letter, the first thing that strikes me is the intimacy. All these beautiful looping characters, the slightly faded ink—it feels so personal, almost voyeuristic, like we're peering over someone's shoulder reading their private thoughts. Curator: The act of letter writing itself was, and still remains in many cases, a powerful performance in a public, social context, wouldn't you say? It was very often a careful construction intended to make a distinct impression, often far from casual or spur-of-the-moment. Even in seeming to disclose secrets, one also maintains them. Editor: That's interesting, and maybe true. But all that intentionality... look at that almost frantic handwriting. I imagine someone feverishly trying to capture thoughts as they rush in. So for me it communicates anxiety! I think it's the inconsistencies of stroke and depth, maybe a touch of palimpsest... so beautiful! Curator: Perhaps it's the residue of emotional weight, as seen through the act of writing. I would be wary, though, of reading modern conceptions of privacy back into an era where letters functioned as both public and private communication. The question is how to parse interiority versus theatricality, performance. Editor: Fair point. Still, I’m drawn to the humanity in it, you know? The imperfections are so much more compelling than perfect calligraphy. It's that vulnerability, that immediacy. It transcends mere historical document and becomes a piece of the writer's soul! Curator: A carefully staged presentation of their soul, perhaps! Still, a powerful, and compelling presentation, nonetheless. Editor: Well, whatever the "truth" of it, the letter offers an amazing glimpse into another person’s mind—both intriguing to reflect upon!