Visitekaartje aan Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk 1904

This handwritten card, a 'Visitekaartje aan Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk' by mevrouw Van Bastelaer, looks like it was made with ink on paper. I imagine Van Bastelaer carefully forming each letter, the pen gliding across the surface, each stroke a delicate dance. The card is so delicate it looks like it could blow away if you breathe on it. Think about the way she painstakingly attended to the details, her hand moving slowly to fill the space with text. I can almost see her concentrating on the placement of each word, the rhythm of the handwriting. The dark ink contrasts with the paper, each word a careful mark on a blank page. The choice of script conveys a sense of formality, but also a personal touch. It reminds me of Cy Twombly, but less frantic. Like Van Bastelaer, many artists work with text, and the act of writing becomes a form of art. Each in their own way, artists are having a conversation across time, inspiring each other's creativity.