Brief aan Marisa Quanjer Possibly 1937

This is an envelope, addressed to Marisa Quanjer and penned by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst in 1931. It provides us with a material link to the artistic and intellectual circles of the Netherlands in the early 20th century. Roland Holst was a prominent figure in the Dutch Symbolist movement, deeply engaged with socialist ideals. This simple postal item, sent from Haarlem to Amsterdam, connects us to the social networks of the time. The pre-war period in Europe was marked by rising social tensions, economic hardship, and fervent artistic experimentation, all of which shaped the environment in which artists like Roland Holst operated. Even the stamp with the inscription 'Buy welfare postage for H' reveals social dynamics and political initiatives of the time. To fully understand this artifact, we can delve into Roland Holst’s biography, study the Dutch socialist movement, and explore the postal system of the era through accessible archives. The meaning we ascribe to this envelope is contingent on situating it within its complex social and institutional contexts.