Brief aan August Allebé Possibly 1897

Editor: So, this is "Brief aan August Allebé" by Barend Wijnveld, probably from 1897. It's a handwritten letter in pen on paper. The handwriting gives it such a personal feel, almost like eavesdropping on a private thought. What do you see in it? Curator: You know, I am really taken by its immediacy, almost as though Barend just lifted pen to paper with this direct and expressive purpose! It speaks of bygone intimacies, these gestures of communication, made strange and beautiful by the passage of time. What strikes me is that calligraphic touch; look at the loops and flourishes! They make the text sing beyond the simple act of reading. It's like the written word dancing on the page. Does it feel that way for you, too? Editor: Definitely! I also love the little imperfections – the smudges and inconsistent pressure on the pen. It reminds us that this was created by a human hand, not a machine. It almost adds to its story. Curator: Exactly! Those imperfections _are_ the story in many ways. This work is almost as much a drawing as it is a letter. It offers an amazing snapshot into someone's everyday. It really brings out all those subtle hints that exist beneath the surface of formal and informal exchanges, wouldn't you agree? Editor: I absolutely agree. I will now forever view calligraphy as more than just words! Curator: Precisely! It shows the profound importance of the act of creating for one's own sense of wellbeing. And who doesn’t value that sentiment?!