Brief aan Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk Possibly 1892

Julius R. Haarhaus penned this letter to Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsweijk, Director of Museum Boijmans, in 1892. Immediately, the eye is drawn to the elegance of the script, its dark ink a stark contrast to the aged, pale paper. The lines of text, though ordered, possess a rhythmic, almost musical quality, each word carefully formed. This piece isn't merely a letter; it's a study in form and function. Haarhaus engages with the visual language of correspondence to convey a message about art. The very act of writing, the pressure of the pen creating thicks and thins, mirrors the artistic process itself. Is Haarhaus suggesting that writing, like art, is a form of creation, imbued with intention and meaning? Consider how the letter challenges our notions of originality. It questions attributions, authenticity, and the very nature of artistic production. This act destabilizes traditional art historical narratives, inviting us to reconsider how we assign value and meaning to works of art. The materiality of the letter—the paper, the ink, the handwriting—becomes inseparable from its content, transforming it into a unique artifact.