Brief aan Frans Buffa en Zonen Possibly 1876

This letter was written by William Unger to Frans Buffa and Sons, though we don't know exactly when. It's made with the everyday materials of paper and ink, the tools of writing and correspondence. The physical qualities of this letter—the paper's texture, the ink's color, the very formation of the handwritten script—are inseparable from its content. Each stroke of the pen reveals the hand of the artist, and the cultural norms of 19th-century communication, where handwriting was an essential skill, a mark of education, and a primary means of transacting business. Consider how the letter was produced: from the harvesting of raw materials to the skilled labor of the paper maker, the ink producer, and ultimately, Unger himself. This letter wasn't just a means of conveying information; it was a product of its time, reflective of the social structures, modes of production, and the value placed on personal communication. Appreciating this context is key to understanding its meaning and significance beyond the words it contains.