Brief aan Jan Veth Possibly 1916

This letter by Jac van Looij, dated December 4th, 1918, feels like a peek into the artist’s mind, right? It’s all in Dutch, with the handwriting looping and swirling, like a dance across the page. I imagine van Looij hunched over a desk, pen in hand, the words flowing out as he reflects on his artistic process. What was he thinking as he wrote? Was he aware that one day, people like us would be trying to decipher his thoughts, feeling close to him through his script? The ink varies in pressure, creating a rhythm of dark and light that adds an expressive quality to the text, and you can almost hear the scratching of the nib on the paper. Each letter is formed with a sense of care and intention. It’s like he’s having a conversation with himself, working through ideas and feelings as he goes. It makes me think about how artists, through their work, enter into a dialogue with each other across time. The letter is a physical manifestation of this conversation, a testament to the ongoing exchange of ideas and inspirations that fuel creativity. It’s more than just a document, it’s a piece of art in itself.