Brief aan Genootschap Kunstliefde 1828 - 1893

This letter was written by Dirk van Lokhorst, likely in the mid-19th century. It’s made with iron gall ink on laid paper. This wasn’t just any paper; the grid suggests it was intended for technical drawing. The letter to Genootschap Kunstliefde, or ‘Arts’ Society’ in English, is a fascinating example of the relationship between artistic practice and social economics. Lokhorst appears to be writing to sell paintings to the society. We can glean from the letter that he intends to sell 'beesters op de Band pleat inde rivier' for 80 golden, and another one depicting potatoes for 50. The flowing script belies the pragmatic content of the letter, which focuses on price and subject matter, telling us much about the commodification of art during this period. This document is a reminder that even the most seemingly rarefied forms of creative expression are interwoven with the realities of labor, production, and exchange. It challenges us to consider the social lives of art objects.