Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1917

This letter, in French, to Philip Zilcken, was written by Rose Imel, and what grabs me is the intimacy, the sheer physicality of language itself. The paper is a pale, pinkish hue, and the ink, a faded grey, suggests time worn in the best way. Look at the opening flourish of the ‘M’ in ‘Monsieur,’ it’s so alive, a little dance on the page. The handwriting leans and curls, each word a small drawing, revealing more and concealing something too. There’s a controlled chaos to it, a rhythm that’s both urgent and patient. You get the sense that the act of writing was as important as the message itself. This reminds me of Cy Twombly, how he made marks that were so free, so vulnerable, that they became profound. "Brief aan Philip Zilcken" isn't just communication; it's an artifact of someone's interior life, laid bare with every stroke. It celebrates the messy, human act of creation, reminding us that art is often found in the most unexpected places.