Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken 1867 - 1911

This is the front side of a "briefkaart," or postcard, sent to Philip Zilcken, likely around the turn of the 20th century, by the Dutch artist Salomon van Witsen. The most striking thing about this humble piece of paper is how fully it participates in a system of communication: mass-produced card, printed with address lines and postage stamp, handwriting in ink that flows with the personal touch of the sender. Each element speaks to the wider social structures of labor, production, and consumption that were emerging at the time. We can imagine the paper itself being processed in a mill, the printing carefully laid down by a machine, the postal system an enormous network of workers, and the final message hand-delivered to Zilcken’s door. This card reminds us that even the most intimate exchanges are enmeshed in vast networks of making and exchange. It challenges us to consider the relationship between handmade expression and machine made production.