Brief aan Jan Veth Possibly 1902 - 1925

This letter to Jan Veth was written in 1902 by Cornelis Winkler, and right away, I'm struck by the flow and rhythm of the script. It’s almost like a drawing, where the ink varies in weight and darkness, creating a kind of visual music. Look closely at how Winkler forms his letters, like little energetic gestures. They remind me of the way I approach a canvas, each stroke a response to the previous one, a kind of conversation. I like how the lines of the script lean and curve, almost as if the words are dancing across the page. The materiality of the paper itself, its texture and slight imperfections, adds another layer, grounding the writing in a specific time and place. It's tempting to compare Winkler’s hand to that of someone like Cy Twombly, where the act of writing becomes a form of abstract expression. Ultimately, it's a reminder that art is always in conversation, that each gesture builds upon the ones that came before.