Brief aan jonkheer Hendrik Teding van Berkhout (1879-1969) Possibly 1931

This is a letter by Willem Adrianus Grondhout, dated December 29th, 1931. It's all in Dutch, but what strikes me is the handwriting, how it leans and flows like a dance across the page. The ink, probably applied with a nib pen, varies in thickness, creating dark, emphatic strokes and delicate, almost fading lines. See how some letters are fully formed, while others are barely there, just a suggestion? To me, that's like life, isn't it? Sometimes we’re bold and clear, other times hesitant, barely making our mark. Look at the looping ascenders and descenders, stretching and reaching, full of energy. It's a personal and intimate way of writing, a kind of performance. The handwritten quality reminds me of the letters by Vincent van Gogh to his brother Theo. Both are full of vulnerability and a longing for connection. Art is always a conversation, a reaching out across time. What I find great about both is that neither is striving for perfection; they're embracing the beautiful mess of being human.