Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1892

Here we see a postcard, likely made around 1902, addressed by Nellie van Lelyveld-Mess to Philip Zilcken. The muted purples, and blacks of the ink create a symmetrical balance between the postmarks, postage, and text. The structure of this postcard follows a clear semiotic system: The coat of arms and postage stamp mark it as official communication, while the handwritten address and message personalizes it. The placement of the stamps in the upper corners anchors the composition, drawing the eye across the calligraphic address to the signature at the bottom. Note how the artist's script moves from formal address to a more intimate tone in the body. Consider that this postcard isn't merely a means of delivering a message but a carefully constructed artifact, where each element contributes to the overall communication. It engages with the interplay of public and private, formal and informal, challenging the notion of a postcard as a purely utilitarian object.