Brief aan Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk 1906

Curator: Here we have a glimpse into the personal life of George Hendrik Breitner. This is "Brief aan Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk," dating from 1906 and currently held at the Rijksmuseum. It's a pen and ink drawing on paper. Editor: It’s funny, my first reaction is, "Can someone get this man a new pen?!" The writing is so spidery, yet oddly intimate. Curator: Indeed. Breitner was known for his expressive style, capturing the grittiness of city life in Amsterdam, and I think that informality carries through even in his personal correspondence. His work was exhibited throughout Europe, positioning him as a leader in Modernism Editor: I find that charming somehow, you know? The blurring of public persona and private thoughts. It feels authentic in a way that a perfectly calligraphed letter wouldn't. It's as though he's sharing a moment, not curating one. Curator: It speaks to how societal perceptions of art shape reception. Before photography, quick sketches offered rare immediacy. Letters held news but were also deeply personal, reflecting class and connection Editor: I suppose it’s easy to romanticize handwriting now. We don't really put pen to paper like that anymore. Now we would send each other a blurry picture over messenger. Curator: Which will become tomorrow’s treasured ephemera. I also find interesting how a letter, once intensely personal, now becomes an object of institutional record to a popular artist and the public art becomes less an individual's output and a community's shared memory. Editor: Funny how the role reverses; something crafted in solitude enters the collective consciousness, and what started as an internal gesture eventually resonates with the masses. Makes you wonder who will save our blurry images... Curator: Absolutely. And as for Breitner's note here, one can wonder what important information this holds in understanding the artist's intent behind certain images and subjects. Editor: I can’t shake the image of Breitner furiously scribbling away by gaslight, pouring his thoughts onto this one sheet. Now to seek my glasses!