Prentbriefkaart aan Philip Zilcken before 1925

This prentbriefkaart aan Philip Zilcken, which is Dutch for postcard, was made by Jan Pit at an unknown date, with ink on paper. I love the way the information is presented on this small rectangular surface. The handwriting, the stamps, the faint discolorations of the paper are all right there, on the surface, immediate, direct. The ink moves with a beautiful simplicity, so assured, so economical. The writer seems very relaxed with their mark making, not afraid to scratch out a word and start again, even using the back of the postcard to pen down more musings. There’s something incredibly intimate about seeing someone’s handwriting like this. The physical process of writing, the way the ink bleeds into the page, is a time capsule, sending a message from one person, in one moment, across time and space. The loose handling of the pen and ink reminds me of Cy Twombly’s loose and free mark making in his paintings. They both feel intimate, like a personal conversation is taking place between artwork and viewer.