Brief aan Hendrick Peter Godfried Quack Possibly 1911 - 1915

This letter to Hendrick Peter Godfried Quack was written in 1911 by Jan Veth. Look at the way the words are formed, so full of urgency and care. You can tell Veth had a lot on his mind! Artmaking is a process of discovery, and in this piece, it feels like we're seeing Veth work through his thoughts in real-time. The ink sits on the page, sometimes thick, sometimes thin, like a conversation with varying tones. The loops and swirls of the letters give it a tactile quality; you can almost feel the pen moving across the paper. Notice how some words are underlined for emphasis, a dark, deliberate stroke adding weight to their meaning. It's like he's trying to make sure his friend really gets it. This act of communication reminds me of the letters of Vincent van Gogh, another artist who poured his heart onto the page. Ultimately, this piece is a testament to the power of art as a means of connection, a way to reach out and share our innermost thoughts and feelings with others.