Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1923 - 1924

This letter was written by Alphonse Stengelin in 1923 using ink on paper. What immediately strikes me is the incredible control and sensitivity evident in each stroke. You can sense the artist's hand moving across the paper, each letter formed with intention and care. The ink is a pale, almost translucent grey, creating a delicate, ethereal quality. The texture of the paper is smooth but it also has a subtle grain that catches the light, adding depth to the surface. I'm drawn to the way the ink pools in certain areas, creating darker, more concentrated marks that contrast with the lighter, fainter lines. It's as if Stengelin is using the ink to sculpt the words, giving them a three-dimensional presence on the page. The looping ascenders and descenders of the letters create a rhythm that carries the eye from one word to the next. The quality of handwriting, the touch of the pen on paper, always reminds me of Cy Twombly. Both artists remind us that artmaking is a process, a conversation between the artist and the materials, that is as much about feeling as thinking.