Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1903 - 1931

This is the back of a postcard sent by Vittorio Pica to Philip Zilcken. The card itself is made from paper, a mass-produced material associated with global commerce. The printed elements – the Italian coat of arms, the address lines, and the postage stamp featuring Vittorio Emanuele III – all speak to the industrial processes of the early 20th century. Stamps like this represent a crucial element of national infrastructure: an implicit contract between citizens and their governments. But this card is more than a mere artifact of industrial production. Notice the handwritten text, with the flourishes of Pica's cursive, and the postmarks that trace its journey through the postal system. These tactile elements remind us that even in an age of mass production, personal expression and human connection persist. The labor of writing, delivering, and receiving such a message underscores the enduring significance of human interaction, even in the face of industrialization.