Brief aan Philip Zilcken 1875 - 1930

This is "Brief aan Philip Zilcken," by Isaac Israels, and what strikes me most is the pressure of the artist's hand on the page, how the ink pools in places and then fades out as the pen lifts and moves on. I imagine Israels composing this letter, each word forming a conversation between himself and Zilcken. Look at the forward lean of the script, the way the letters are connected like fluid gestures. I wonder, was he in a rush? Or was he lost in thought, carefully considering each word? There is a particular flourish in his signature; it's almost as if he's signing a painting, declaring his presence and intention. Letters like this remind me that artists are always in conversation. I love how the simple act of writing can become a form of art-making, a way of thinking through practice. It is a reminder that art is not just about the final product but about the process, the exchange, and the embodied expression of ideas.