Brief aan Jan Veth Possibly 1903

Wilhelm von Bode made this letter to Jan Veth with ink on paper. It's like peeking over someone's shoulder as they write, the way the ink flows and pools, the rhythm of the hand making marks. You can feel the motion and the energy in each word. There’s a vulnerability in the writing. You can imagine Bode pausing, thinking, then continuing, the letter almost a conversation frozen in time. Look at the way the 'S' curls, almost dancing on the page. The ink is dark, heavy, full of life. It's a physical thing, the ink, and it gives weight to the words. Each stroke varies in thickness, a testament to the changing pressure of the pen. It reminds me a little of Cy Twombly, that feeling of intimacy and raw expression. Like Twombly, Bode's work embraces the imperfect, the immediate, the human. It's a beautiful reminder that art is just a conversation, a way of connecting through time and space.