Brief aan Philip Zilcken before 1911

Curator: Looking at this image, we have "Brief aan Philip Zilcken" or "Letter to Philip Zilcken" by Hélène van Goethem. It's believed to date from before 1911, created with ink on paper. It shows a handwritten letter, in French, with the address at the top "272, Chaussée de Vleurgat". What do you notice first, as an artist? Editor: There’s a real intimacy here, almost a vulnerability. It feels very private. The handwriting is fluid, but there's also something melancholic about it, as though the words themselves are fading or perhaps blurring into distant memory. I am intrigued with the expression “Nens of nowhere” can one fade into nowhere?. Curator: Yes, that fragility speaks to a particular moment. Handwritten letters, of course, carry a weight that's missing in our digital exchanges. The fading of the ink in this sketch emphasizes themes of memory, intimacy, and the passage of time, consistent with the artistic sensibilities and movements of that time such as intimism, in addition to the unmistakable art-nouveau elements here. The letterform possesses the sinuous, organic lines so familiar from art-nouveau posters of the time. It offers a sense of refined personal expression, making us consider how artists communicate personal and perhaps more informal concepts outside of conventional artwork. Editor: Definitely. It’s fascinating to consider handwriting itself as a form of visual expression. You see the personality in the loops and the slant. This isn’t just a message; it’s a portrait of the writer’s mind. Curator: Absolutely. And in the context of Van Goethem’s larger artistic practice, a piece like this offers a valuable window into the artistic network she cultivated and perhaps a closer glimpse into her personal thoughts and influences, that perhaps find their way into other, less obviously personal artwork she might create. What remains powerful about art such as this, and that comes to mind looking at the writing here, is how she’s imbued personal items with significant feeling and weight and emotion, like cultural artifacts to be revered in ways that printed letters lack. Editor: It makes you wonder about the relationship between Hélène and Philip and how “Nens of nowhere” factors in this relationship. It really encourages your own storytelling and interpretation. It becomes much more than simply words on paper. Curator: A tangible connection, capturing more than the content of the message, but rather feeling that has weight, context, a life of its own. Editor: Yes, the emotional essence. Now I want to find those "Nens of Nowhere" to understand what exactly Helene was referring to.