Brief aan Jan Veth Possibly 1891

This letter was written by Eduard Karsen in Amsterdam in October 1891. Look at the handwriting itself, the curves and connections of the letters. Each stroke, a deliberate gesture, much like the brushstrokes of a painter. The grid of the paper is a structural element, reminiscent of architectural plans or even musical scores. The lines constrain, but also provide a framework. Think of the 'Florentine Grid,' which helped to organize urban space and artistic compositions during the Renaissance. Here, the grid underlies the personal expression, a symbol of order underpinning the chaos of thought. The act of writing is not merely the conveyance of information, but a deeply human act of imposing structure onto the ephemeral. This act of arranging letters is an attempt to manage the uncontrollable, a theme that resonates across centuries.