Brief gericht aan de Florentijnse verzamelaar Niccolo Gaddi (1537-1591) Possibly 1579

This letter, now at the Rijksmuseum, was written by Joris Hoefnagel around 1573 to the Florentine collector Niccolo Gaddi. At first glance, the visual experience is dominated by the script itself, a dense layering of lines and forms creating a complex texture across the page. The ink bleeds and fades, creating tonal variations that add depth to the surface. This letter is not merely a message; it is a performance of language. The way the letters are formed, their spacing and the overall composition of the text block function semiotically. Each stroke and flourish conveys meaning beyond the words themselves, engaging with notions of humanism and communication. The letter challenges our fixed notions of communication by embedding information within the structure of the text. The material quality of the paper, combined with the ink, creates a unique visual experience. The surface is not static but dynamic, engaging the viewer in a dialogue about time, preservation and the enduring power of the written word.