Brief aan Jan Veth Possibly 1904

This letter to Jan Veth was written in 1904 by Karel Alberdingk Thijm. The ink meanders across the page, forming words that lean and loop. The paper looks aged, as if it’s been sitting in the sun for a long time, doesn’t it? I imagine Thijm hunched over his desk, nib scratching as he shares his thoughts with Veth. What was on his mind that day? Was he excited? Anxious? Each stroke must have been so deliberate, yet free. It reminds me of Cy Twombly’s mark-making—a dance of intention and chance. Letters are an art, too, aren’t they? The pressure of the pen, the texture of the paper, the rhythm of language. It's not just about conveying information, but about creating something intimate, something human. And just like in painting, these small decisions shape our experience and understanding. You see the way the words seem to fade in and out, creating an uneven surface of thought, a conversation across time.