Brief aan August Allebé Possibly 1902 - 1918

This letter by Johannes Hubertus Leonardus de Haas, dated August 18th 1902, is so intriguing – like a drawing made with words. The ink has a silvery sheen, a subtle tonal variation that reminds me of graphite. The marks are so telling; look how the loops and tails of the letters almost detach and float like abstract forms. The script varies in pressure, from thick and deliberate to thin and hurried, full of the energy of his thoughts. See how the downstrokes are heavy and confident, anchoring the words, while the connectors are light, almost hesitant. It's like a dance between control and freedom, mirroring the creative process. This act of writing isn’t just about conveying information; it’s about the physical act of making a mark, of leaving a trace of oneself, like Cy Twombly's scrawled paintings. The letter isn't just a message, but an artifact, a document of a specific moment in time, imbued with the artist's hand and mind.