Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken 1867 - 1921

Curator: This captivating drawing on paper, crafted with ink, is a "Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken" by Marinus van der Maarel, dating from 1867 to 1921. Editor: It feels incredibly intimate, doesn’t it? Like holding a whispered secret in your hands. There's something almost dreamlike about the faded ink and the elegant script... I almost imagine someone finding this after decades and puzzling over it. Curator: Yes, a whisper from the past indeed! Briefkaarten, postcards in Dutch, often served as both communication and snapshot of daily life. Consider the stamp in the upper corner: it features a Lion symbol. What feelings does this Lion convey? Editor: Well, it speaks volumes, doesn't it? Lions are universally known to convey a king, authority and power, strength, protection—all bundled into this tiny piece of paper that travelled all the way, across countries, maybe, a silent ambassador! And its position on an envelope gives a message a royal importance. The address script—what does that imply? Curator: Ah, that handwriting! It connects to time, and a physical act in the past: a declaration from Van der Maarel, written at length! It evokes tradition, formality and lasting power—not ephemeral technology of today. But is there some melancholic feeling here also? Editor: Maybe because we read messages with instant notifications? Today that is! I'm imagining how significant this act was—the careful crafting of the note, maybe seeking counsel... the blue stamp, royal and reassuring! Did Zilcken share that view as he unfolded this note back then? What symbols stood out to him then? What did this visual shorthand transmit immediately back then that's lost on us now? Curator: Lost or, perhaps, ripe for rediscovery? Thinking about its materiality reminds us that some essential parts of communication endure; this visual artifact provides enduring testament to past stories! Editor: Absolutely. I am seeing Van der Maarel's silent script, his intention lingering through all those lines... and this Lion with its authority also seems to be a sentinel. It invites us to reflect about the echoes of what he was.