Brief aan Ary Johannes Lamme Possibly 1849

Editor: So, this is "Brief aan Ary Johannes Lamme," possibly from 1849, by Paul Delaroche. It’s a letter, penned in ink on paper, housed right here at the Rijksmuseum. It’s... well, it’s just a letter, but there's a real artistry to the hand-lettering. What leaps out at you? Curator: It's the intimacy, isn’t it? To hold something so utterly personal, bridging time... It feels almost voyeuristic, yet completely captivating. This isn't just communication; it's a record of thought, carefully scripted. What kind of story do you think this letter could tell, even without being able to understand it? Editor: That's true, you can imagine a very private and perhaps sentimental occasion. It’s very controlled, too—I mean, each stroke and flourish conveys something beyond just the words themselves. Almost like a performance on paper. Does it echo other Romantic artwork to you? Curator: Absolutely. It reminds us that Romanticism wasn’t just grand landscapes and dramatic scenes. It was deeply invested in the individual, the emotional, and the expressive power of the human spirit. Notice how the pressure of the pen creates a light and shade. Editor: It’s such a small, everyday object that offers this peek into the past. It has made me think a lot about who Delaroche was and his relationship with Ary Johannes Lamme. Curator: Exactly. And perhaps the real artwork here isn't the letter itself, but the story it silently whispers across time. These physical objects allow us an opportunity to engage intimately with individuals long past and the ways in which people have communicated over generations. Editor: That’s beautiful, thank you. I feel I have been reminded that all physical traces are significant.