Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1900 - 1917

This is a letter, "Brief aan Philip Zilcken," by Frans Erens. I can almost imagine him, pen in hand, leaning over the paper, the nib scratching as he forms each elegant word. There is a sensitivity in the varying pressure applied to the page; the ink swells and recedes with a rhythmic pulse. As I read I begin to imagine the artist's thoughts as they moved between their mind and the page. There is the quality of conversation here, almost as if he is speaking to a friend over coffee. The letter is a reminder that artists are always in conversation. It is a reminder that all our work exists in a dialogue. Art is a shared space where ideas are tested and connections are forged. I am not sure if the letter is a work of art, but it certainly is a work of thoughtfulness and care.