Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1908 - 1919

This letter, penned by Jules Comte in Paris on the 9th of April, 1908, to Philip Zilcken, speaks volumes about the institutional and social dynamics within the art world at the turn of the century. Comte was writing on letterhead for ‘La Revue de l’Art Ancien et Moderne’ (The Review of Ancient and Modern Art) a journal committed to the study of art history and theory. The content of the letter is revealing: Comte seeks to dissuade Zilcken from cashing a cheque from the ‘Revue.’ This suggests a complex network of financial relationships underpinning the supposedly objective world of art criticism. We can imagine the conversations and exchanges taking place within the art world, about what counts as good art, and who deserves to be supported. Understanding the politics of imagery, therefore, requires that we examine the Revue, its contributors, and its relationship to figures like Zilcken through archival research and close reading. The value of this letter lies in the fact that it bears witness to the institutional and social conditions that shaped the artistic landscape of its time.