Gedicht uit collectie August Allebé 1848 - 1927

August Allebé created this undated poem from the August Allebé collection at the Rijksmuseum using ink on paper. Immediately, one is struck by the visual layering and the contrast between the firm, dark calligraphic strokes and the pale grid of the paper. This tension creates an intriguing depth. The poem's structure appears almost palimpsestic. Allebé has layered lines and verses over each other, some struck through. The poem becomes an exploration of language's materiality. The superimposition of words and cancellations raises questions about meaning and interpretation. Is Allebé emphasizing the process of writing and rewriting, or is he exploring the instability inherent in language itself? The cancellations don't negate the text but add to it; they disrupt any singular reading. It is a visual representation of how meanings are constructed, deconstructed, and reconstructed, reflecting post-structuralist thought where language is never stable but always in flux. As such, the form of the poem emphasizes that meaning is not fixed.