Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1889

This is a letter to Philip Zilcken, written by Thérèse Schwartze, with pen and ink on paper. Now, you might wonder why a simple letter is on display, but consider the making. The paper itself, likely produced in a factory, represents industrial scale and the mechanization of labor. The ink, too, is a manufactured product, albeit one with a long history tied to craft. But the key element here is the handwriting. Each stroke, each loop and curve, reflects Schwartze’s personal touch, her unique expression. In an age of mass production, handwriting retains an aura of individuality. Look closely and you can trace her thoughts and emotions in the very pressure of the pen on paper. The act of handwriting becomes a performance, a record of a specific person at a specific moment. It is a reminder that even in the most mundane objects, we can find traces of human agency and skill. This letter reminds us to look beyond the apparent simplicity of everyday objects, and to consider the labor, skill, and cultural context that went into their creation.