Brief aan Johan Philip van der Kellen Possibly 1877

Curator: This work, housed here at the Rijksmuseum, is entitled "Brief aan Johan Philip van der Kellen," possibly dating back to 1877. It’s a drawing primarily in ink on paper. What strikes you first about it? Editor: Immediately, the delicacy of the script. It's almost gossamer, so finely rendered that it makes you want to lean in close and listen to its secrets. It's also so contained, very centered on the page. Curator: The artist, Jacob Taanman, it appears, penned this letter to Johan Philip van der Kellen, who was the director of the Rijks Print Cabinet. It has the casual air of a personal sketchbook entry combined with formal elements. You see how carefully Taanman wrote; it almost transforms handwriting into an art form. The calligraphy highlights its careful intentions and gives us insight into 19th-century correspondence. Editor: It speaks volumes, doesn't it? Just the act of letter writing—choosing the paper, the ink, the deliberate forming of each letter… Now, most of our correspondence is so immediate, so fleeting. I see so much beauty in it—a world where communication took time, care and was visually interesting as this pen and ink work shows! Curator: Precisely. This "Brief," beyond its textual content, represents a historical moment. As the letter implies, Taanman sent van der Kellen etchings as part of a donation, exhibiting Taanman's effort to connect and contribute within the art world. Its existence illuminates art patronage networks and museum development during that time. We get a glimpse into their social relationships and artistic exchange too. Editor: So, what begins as something so immediate—someone dashing off a note—morphs into an important historic object offering unique evidence from the period! That shift gives me chills! What began so personally then enters the broader collective history represented within this museum setting. Curator: Well said. Considering that something as intimate as personal correspondence might hold invaluable public meaning reminds me that the layers are what counts. This piece makes the historical personal, doesn’t it? Editor: Indeed. It makes me want to slow down, choose my words—and maybe even write a letter of my own!