Brief aan Jan Veth 1874 - 1894

Curator: This is an intimate glimpse into the late 19th century: M.C. Lebret's "Brief aan Jan Veth," a drawing crafted between 1874 and 1894, using ink on paper. It's really just a simple letter. What does it evoke for you at first glance? Editor: A sense of delicacy, like holding a whispered secret. The handwriting, so carefully looping, reminds me of antique lace. I immediately zoom into a sense of hidden emotion. Is it me, or is the scale somehow a bit monumental? Curator: I wouldn't disagree at all! The scale invites such focus, drawing you into Lebret’s private correspondence with Veth. There’s a vulnerability here, don’t you think, sharing thoughts in this form? Think of the symbolism of letters as cultural artifacts. The script is both intimate and somehow very deliberate, hinting at the considered nature of written communication at the time, before instant messages of course. The use of pen and ink also gives it an old fashioned, official character... a historical seal of truth and authority. Editor: The writing looks stylized with the date marked at the very top...it's got to be important. Let’s consider it's value as an exchange between individuals rather than simply text on paper, I bet the reader also considered each symbolic loop or embellishment a statement of sorts. This very formal character gives the object weight. Letters can of course stand as tokens for social standing, like calling cards, objects invested with a power. Curator: Precisely. I find myself contemplating the very personal act of choosing a pen, dipping it in ink, and forming each word. In that choice, Lebret imbues the correspondence with more than just information; she’s sharing a part of herself. Perhaps she felt constrained by the format of a formal letter, where is the warmth that could have entered in the intimacy of the exchange with a friend in real life? Editor: It leaves one longing to decipher every nuanced flourish and hidden message contained within those loops and strokes. This humble drawing becomes an artifact that triggers broader ideas about intimacy, language, and cultural memory. What a delicious way to reveal the soul. Curator: Yes, and for me, it reflects the timeless power of personal correspondence and that craving for honest connection.