Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1928

In this artwork, "Brief aan Philip Zilcken," made on paper, the artist Anthony Struys composes a handwritten letter with ink. The writing here, it's not just about conveying information, it's about the rhythm and flow of thought, like a dance across the page. The ink is dark and consistent, but you can still feel the hand behind it, pressing and releasing, speeding up and slowing down. Look closely, and you can almost trace the path of the pen, sensing the artist's breath as they formed each word. It's like following someone's footsteps in the snow, getting a sense of their journey, their intention. Maybe Struys wanted to make a lasting impression on the recipient. Maybe it was just a note to a friend. Whatever the case, it reminds me of the abstract expressionists, like Cy Twombly, who used writing and gesture as a way to capture the raw energy of the moment. Both of them leave us with something that feels both deeply personal and strangely universal.