Brief aan Frans Buffa en Zonen Possibly 1875 - 1879

This letter to Frans Buffa en Zonen was written by William Unger, though the exact date is unknown. As we consider this correspondence, let's reflect on the power dynamics inherent in communication. Unger, writing to a firm likely involved in the art trade, engages in a discussion about paper. His words carry the weight of a professional relationship, yet hint at personal nuances. The choice of paper, the way he tailors his message—these are deliberate acts. In Unger's time, correspondence was an intimate act, a revealing of self through carefully chosen words and stationery. Consider the labor, the resources, the very trees felled to create the paper on which Unger inscribed his thoughts. Letters like these were instrumental in shaping artistic reputations, negotiating sales, and solidifying networks. They represent the tangible threads that connected artists, dealers, and collectors in a world before digital communication. This letter is more than ink on paper. It is an artifact of a particular time, with all the social and economic structures that influenced its creation.