Brief aan Jan Veth Possibly 1900 - 1915

This letter to Jan Veth was written in 1900 by Cornelis Gerardus 't Hooft and, I imagine, with a quill and ink. See how the ink pools in some places, and is scratchy in others? You can almost feel the pressure of the hand, the way the pen lifted and fell, creating these swooping lines. I can imagine him sitting at his desk, perhaps late at night, the only light source illuminating the page. He’s probably mulling over his thoughts, a little unsure of what to say to Jan. It's a bit like when I begin a painting, circling around an idea, making marks, erasing, trying to find the right form. Each stroke is a decision, a tiny act of will, building up to something larger. The dark ink against the pale paper creates a strong contrast, like a conversation between light and shadow. And in a way, that’s what all art is, right? A conversation, across time, between artists, between ideas, between ourselves and the world. It is amazing that a simple gesture can communicate so much, even across centuries.