Brief aan Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk Possibly 1896

This letter was written by Hendrik Johannes Haverman to Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk in 1896 using paper and ink. The choice of stationery speaks to a world where handwritten correspondence was a primary means of communication, far removed from our digital age. Looking closely, the ink's texture and the paper's grain hint at the physical act of writing. Each stroke of the pen reveals the artist's hand, making the letter not just a message, but also an index of his presence and intention. The letter itself is a form of labor. It's a record of Haverman's effort, the time taken to carefully form each word, and the social conventions that dictated this mode of communication. Letters like this one remind us that even the most mundane objects carry layers of meaning, embedded in their materials and making.