Brief aan Willem Bogtman Possibly 1923 - 1931

Editor: This is "Brief aan Willem Bogtman" or "Letter to Willem Bogtman," created sometime between 1923 and 1931 by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst. It’s a pen and ink drawing on paper and it is currently located at the Rijksmuseum. I'm struck by how intimate it feels, like eavesdropping on a personal correspondence. How would you interpret this work? Curator: My focus is drawn to the formal elements at play. Consider the delicate linework. Holst employs a cursive script, rendering each word a series of interwoven strokes. The varying thickness of the lines, achieved through the pressure applied to the pen, creates a subtle rhythm across the page. Editor: It almost feels like a musical score. Curator: Precisely. The density of the ink, particularly in the signatures and emphatic phrases, adds another layer to its composition. Observe how the artist uses the empty space of the paper, surrounding the text, to further enhance the visual impact and aid readability. The artist segments specific areas of emphasis within their composition using enclosures or encircling elements within the broader script. It's as if Holst wants to highlight important pieces of information for the recipient through emphasizing those segments, formally. Editor: I hadn't considered the negative space as a deliberate choice. It certainly changes the reading of it. Curator: The very texture of the paper also contributes; it has a noticeable grain. By analyzing these features, we grasp Holst’s artistic intention irrespective of the letter's content, the focus then is on the work's pure formalism. Editor: This has definitely altered how I perceive not just this piece but all drawings of this type! Thanks!