Brief aan Jan Veth Possibly 1899

This is a letter from Cornelis Hofstede de Groot, written in 1927. The letter is a glimpse into the social networks of the art world in the Netherlands in the early 20th century. Hofstede de Groot's spidery handwriting speaks to a culture of correspondence, where letter-writing was a primary mode of communication and intellectual exchange. Hofstede de Groot was a well-known art historian and curator, particularly known for his work on Rembrandt. Letters like this reveal the intricate webs of collaboration and influence that shaped art historical scholarship and taste. They can give us a sense of the institutional forces at play in shaping art criticism and collection. Archival research into the correspondence of figures like Hofstede de Groot helps us understand the social conditions that shape artistic production and interpretation. It reminds us that the meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.