Brief aan F.E. Posthumus Meyjes Possibly 1924

This is Jan Veth’s “Brief aan F.E. Posthumus Meyjes”, an undated handwritten note held at the Rijksmuseum. It's just ink on paper, seemingly the most straightforward of artistic mediums. But think about what's embedded here. Paper, first. Before the industrial revolution, this would have been a precious commodity, made by hand from pulped cloth. And the ink, too, would likely have been mixed by hand. Then consider the labor required to learn such an elegant script. Veth has clearly mastered this skill, trained in the art of legible, beautiful communication. What’s fascinating here is that Veth, known for his portraits, has given us a different kind of likeness. A fleeting moment in time, captured in a gesture. A connection between people, made visible through the trace of ink. Next time you pick up a pen, remember that you're participating in a long and complex history of making.