Brief aan Jan Veth Possibly 1900 - 1913

This letter to Jan Veth, by Cornelis Gerardus 't Hooft, is written in brown ink on cream paper, a kind of monochrome expression. Imagine the writer’s hand moving across the page, guided by thought and feeling, the nib scratching and gliding in equal measure. I can picture ‘t Hooft bent over his desk, the scratching of the pen, the careful formations of the script becoming a kind of dance. Each letter must have been a conscious act, a mark of intention, and a kind of emotional performance. Look at the loops and flourishes, the way the lines thicken and thin, and the way the words huddle together, as if seeking comfort in their proximity. It's kind of like a painting, in that the pressure and rhythm of the hand can communicate feeling, intention, and meaning. And you can see how that might relate to ‘t Hooft's other work and to the work of other artists. Ultimately, artists are always in conversation, exchanging ideas, and inspiring each other's creativity. Painting, like writing, becomes a form of embodied expression, embracing ambiguity and allowing for multiple interpretations.