Facsimile van een brief van Jan van Speijk aan zijn nicht mevr. de Dieu-van Tonderen, 1830 1831 - 1832

Editor: So, here we have what’s described as a facsimile of a letter by Jan van Speijk to his niece, dating from 1831 or '32. It's ink on paper, found at the Rijksmuseum. It's mostly handwriting, but even without understanding Dutch, I get a real sense of intimacy here, just through the handwriting itself. What catches your eye in this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, intimacy... it’s there, isn’t it? But I wonder if it’s real or constructed? Think about it – a ‘facsimile’. It’s not the letter itself, but a reproduction, made maybe for distribution. Van Speijk was quite the national hero at the time. He blew himself up, along with his ship, rather than surrender to Belgian rebels. So, what seems like an intimate note might, in fact, be a careful piece of propaganda. Look at the script – isn't there something a little performative about it? Does it feel like an authentic expression, or more of a carefully crafted image? Editor: That's a total twist! I hadn’t considered that this might not be the real deal. Now I see it differently. You’re right, it almost seems *too* perfect. Curator: Precisely. It's easy to get swept away by the sentiment, especially looking at a letter, which has an implicit feeling of private sentiment, but we need to think critically. Who wanted this letter to be seen, and *why*? Maybe even more than the actual words in the letter, that kind of questioning unveils a far more complex image. Isn't that fantastic? Editor: That’s fascinating. It’s completely changed my reading of the work, pushing me to really consider the artist’s (or author's!) intent. Curator: Wonderful, isn't it? It just proves there’s more than meets the eye, with art. And maybe, in letters, as well!