Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1903 - 1918

Here is a letter written in 1903 by Maria Viola with ink on paper. I imagine Viola poised over the blank page, pen in hand, deciding how to begin. The cursive sweeps across the page, each word a delicate gesture. I think about the writer’s hand, her arm moving across the page in real time. The controlled lines and even spacing are incredibly beautiful. Each stroke seems purposeful, a dance of pressure and release. I wonder what it felt like to write with ink, that slow, deliberate act. The nib of the pen probably scratched a little, leaving a tactile impression on the page. There’s a connection to other artists here, that careful hand reminds me of Hilma af Klint's early botanical drawings. I think how Viola and other artists are in an ongoing conversation, exchanging ideas across time and inspiring one another’s creativity. Every mark contains a history of feeling, intention, and meaning. I want to see more.