Brief aan Jan Veth 1878 - 1925

Editor: So, here we have “Brief aan Jan Veth” by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst, made sometime between 1878 and 1925. It’s ink on paper, and it looks like a handwritten letter or a draft. The handwriting gives it an intimate feel. What do you see in this piece, beyond the obvious? Curator: Ah, yes! More than just a letter, I see a portal to a conversation frozen in time. The scratch of the pen, the hurried thoughts trying to catch up with the ink… it's like eavesdropping on the artist’s mind. The "griffelkunst" – a delightful, slightly archaic term for penmanship – hints at the importance Holst placed on not just what he wrote, but how he wrote it. A dance between thought and craft, wouldn’t you say? Editor: Absolutely! I love the phrase "portal to a conversation." It makes me think about how personal letter writing used to be an art form itself. What was communication like back then? Curator: In those days, letters were slow, precious things. Each one was a small performance, a carefully constructed bridge between minds. And think about it – what secrets are hidden between those lines? Was he happy? Upset? Was he just sharing every day musings with this Jan Veth that the letter is written to? Editor: This definitely encourages a closer look, appreciating not just the content but the care put into the delivery. I like how the ordinary is rendered almost extraordinary. Curator: Precisely! We look to things for secrets or special meanings that may or may not even exist, so even this glimpse into something ordinary has infinite potential, at least inside of us. Editor: So true! I guess sometimes art is just... a letter. And that's okay!