Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1925 - 1927

This is a postcard to Philip Zilcken, penned by Elissa Rhaïs, probably sometime in the early 20th century, with ink on paper. Look at how the artist’s hand dances across the surface; the looping lines full of personal rhythm. You can almost feel the nib of the pen pressing into the paper. What I find so compelling is the intimacy, that sense of the hand still present. The light blue of the paper becomes the ground for the marks, each stroke deliberate yet spontaneous. See how the ink pools in certain spots, creating tiny shadows? It is like a conversation, a direct line from the artist’s mind to yours. Thinking about other artists who worked with text and line, Cy Twombly comes to mind, with his scribbled poems and abstract gestures. Ultimately, it is not about deciphering the message, but about experiencing the energy and emotion embedded in the act of writing itself. Art is a language of feeling, and in this little card, Rhaïs speaks volumes.