Brief aan A. van der Boom Possibly 1926 - 1929

Curator: We are currently looking at a work on paper by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst, a letter entitled "Brief aan A. van der Boom." It was likely composed between 1926 and 1929. Editor: It reads like a fragile relic of personal exchange, with the spidery, ink-written script feeling quite intimate despite the formal structure. It almost looks like a page torn from a personal sketchbook. Curator: Indeed, the use of ink on paper suggests a readily available and portable medium. Holst’s choice underscores a daily practice, doesn't it? Think about where letters were written, how they circulated through postal systems dependent on industrial production, coal, trains. Editor: Right. It immediately situates the piece within a specific social and technological context. The act of sending a letter itself carries weight when considering it was crafted, distributed, received, and preserved. What can we discern of Roland Holst and Van der Boom's place in society? Curator: Considering the date, the act of corresponding this way connects to a well-established, bourgeoisie mode of communication, reflecting particular cultural rituals and socio-economic status. These people weren’t isolated; the letter becomes a material trace of social relations, part of larger network of exchange. Editor: The visual element too speaks of refined habits. The uniformity in the hand-drawn typeface is striking and almost performative. He takes care to transcribe even casual notes in this neat, intentional lettering. It almost elevates a casual letter to an artifact meant for display. Curator: That invites the questions of intent. Was he always this meticulous in personal correspondence, or did he envision a wider audience, conscious of crafting more than simply a functional letter? I'm fascinated how the means of production – pen, ink, paper – have informed our modern understanding and access to Holst’s work now presented at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It speaks to how our institutions work, what value they impose on certain items and artists… Ultimately, this humble, handwritten artifact transcends its personal origin, becoming a social document and aesthetic object intertwined.