Briefkaart aan Willem Bogtman Possibly 1934 - 1939

Editor: This is "Briefkaart aan Willem Bogtman" or "Postcard to Willem Bogtman," possibly from 1934 to 1939 by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst. It looks like ink on paper. There's a handwritten message alongside the recipient's address and a postage stamp. What’s most striking to me is how intimate it feels, like a little glimpse into the artist's life and connections. What stands out to you? Curator: Intimacy, yes, that's perfectly said. It's like eavesdropping on a private moment. For me, it whispers of artistic networks and friendships, the very lifeblood of creativity. Think about how artists sustained each other then—no Instagram, just the handwritten word, tangible, cherished. The very act of writing is a performance, a deliberate crafting of a thought. Do you see how the handwriting itself becomes part of the artwork? Editor: It does. It’s so personal and direct. The artist's hand becomes visible in a way you don't often get with, say, an oil painting. Curator: Precisely! And the brevity! A haiku in ink. It makes me wonder what he was feeling as he wrote, what small, seemingly insignificant moment he chose to share. What kind of art was Bogtman into, I wonder, what unspoken dialogue were they carrying in their friendship. One might guess textile. The back of the postcard provides location of Zundert. It could easily be a snapshot of daily existence rather than anything performative at all, do you agree? Editor: Yes, good point. Thinking of it as less formal, maybe more immediate, shifts the perspective again. So it's a window into both their world and possibly Dutch artistic circles at the time. It’s like a tiny time capsule. Curator: Exactly. Art doesn’t always need to be grand pronouncements. Sometimes, the most beautiful things are found in these fleeting exchanges, in these small, heartfelt gestures that bind us to one another. Editor: I'll definitely look at postcards differently now! Thanks!