Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1911 - 1929

This postcard was sent by Anton L. Koster to Philip Zilcken, its date obscured by the postal mark. What strikes us first is the interplay between the graphic and the handwritten. The printed elements—the formal "BRIEFKAART" heading, the sender's address, and the postal markings—offer a structured framework. However, this structure is disrupted by the handwritten script, which meanders across the surface, defying the grid-like organization one might expect. The contrast invites us to consider the semiotics of communication at play here. The printed text provides a standardized, impersonal message carrier, while the handwriting injects a personal, expressive element. Consider the act of writing itself: the pressure of the pen, the rhythm of the hand, and the unique character of each letter. These elements are not merely functional but carry with them the imprint of the individual. This tension between the formal and the personal destabilizes the notion of a fixed message, suggesting that meaning is not solely contained in the words themselves but also in the way they are inscribed, received, and interpreted.