Prentbriefkaart aan Joop Sjollema before 1929

Curator: Here we have Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst's "Prentbriefkaart aan Joop Sjollema," dating from before 1929. It’s an ink and pen drawing on paper. The work presents itself as the back of a postcard, complete with an address and handwritten message. Editor: At first glance, it's quite intimate. The handwriting feels very personal, like peeking into a private correspondence. It makes me think about how we communicate now versus then—so much more immediate, but perhaps less carefully considered. Curator: Holst was very interested in craftsmanship. Looking at the drawing’s medium—simple pen and ink on a pre-printed postcard—speaks volumes about accessibility. These materials were easily obtainable, shifting the emphasis from costly resources to skill. The labour, or the hand-worked creation of that message and lettering on a commercial form, democratises artistic expression. Editor: Absolutely, and the act of sending a handwritten message itself is steeped in social meaning. The act of correspondence connected individuals across distance and through the postal system itself. Roland Holst was very active politically; I wonder if this everyday means of distribution was an attraction? How else can we contextualize the choice of script? Its legibility, form—was it designed to connect to the personal politics between Holst and Sjollema? Curator: He would have been attuned to the message the font and script of choice conveyed. The flow of ink across paper, the pressure, would affect the feel of the letter and the reading of the letter and his persona. Every aspect of its creation and dispatch contributes to the final construction of that correspondence. Editor: The inscription also adds another layer. "Aan Joop Sjollema" positions it within the complex social fabric of the time, a time where progressive thinking was rife but there were equally strong prevailing ideas around religious orthodoxy and the politics that bound these networks of people together. It’s almost like overhearing a fragment of history, revealing subtle relationships and nuances within a certain segment of society. Curator: It's an incredible example of the fusion of utilitarian object and the hand-wrought. Roland Holst created with intention and deliberation across mediums, and this postcard makes the case for the artist's process, regardless of materials, and a powerful commentary on production itself. Editor: It really does open a window, doesn't it? From a quick note, we are pulled into these compelling social and cultural webs of the past. The materiality reminds us of tangible connection, the script and address as the means and the content its potential significance.