Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken before 1918

Here is a postcard to Philip Zilcken, made by Maurits van der Valk. The ink is faded now, but you can still sense the pressure of the nib on the paper, the way he formed each letter with care. I imagine Van der Valk sitting at his desk, perhaps with a cup of tea, thinking about his friend. What do you say on a postcard? It’s so exposed, so public. The words have to be light, airy, but also meaningful. He carefully writes the address, Villa Helena, Bezuidenhout, 's-Gravenhage. I wonder if he chose that particular stamp, with its ornate border, to add a touch of elegance. Did he have a specific memory of Zilcken in mind as he wrote? Artists are always in conversation, even through something as simple as a postcard. It’s a quiet exchange of ideas, a gentle nudge of inspiration across time and space. And that little imperfection, that slight blurring of the ink, only adds to the beauty. It reminds us that art is a human endeavor, full of quirks and imperfections, and that's what makes it so special.