Brief aan Ary Johannes Lamme Possibly 1861 - 1863

Curator: So, what's catching your eye today? Editor: We're looking at a letter, “Brief aan Ary Johannes Lamme,” thought to be from around 1861 to 1863 by Dirk Vis Blokhuyzen. It's made with pen and ink, and I find the cursive script itself so compelling. What draws your attention in this work? Curator: I'm most interested in the labor embedded within the letter's production. Consider the cost and availability of paper and ink in the mid-19th century. The act of meticulously forming each letter by hand transforms this letter into a unique object, embodying a particular materiality. How does this shift your understanding of the work? Editor: That’s an interesting perspective. I tend to focus on the content of the letter but thinking about the means of making shapes the content. This brings up questions regarding how accessible letter-writing was, depending on where one stood in society. Do you consider calligraphy a craft, a skill, or a form of art? Curator: Absolutely. The labor and the social implications of who could produce and consume such objects, challenges the rigid separation between fine art and craft that art history has imposed. Who had access to literacy? What were the politics of communication during this period? Editor: It feels much richer than just a simple letter now! Thinking about the materiality opens up many more avenues for interpretation. Curator: Exactly! And it also compels us to reconsider what is deemed worthy of preservation and exhibition. Editor: I will keep my eyes open for the labor, context, and cultural impact implied in what I consider "art" moving forward.