Brief aan Ina van Eibergen Santhagens-Waller 1936

Curator: Here we have "Brief aan Ina van Eibergen Santhagens-Waller" created in 1936 by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst. It resides in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Editor: The flowing script gives it an intimate, almost hurried quality, doesn't it? A sense of immediacy, despite its age. It feels incredibly personal. Curator: Holst was known for his calligraphy, so the artistry isn't accidental. We are viewing the means of communication and artistic expression intertwining beautifully. The penmanship elevates a simple letter to something more visually compelling. He skillfully uses ink on paper. Editor: Definitely. And look how dense the text is, packed onto the page. Paper itself was once a precious commodity; now it feels very accessible. This piece provides us insights into the social conventions that valued written correspondence. Who was this Ina? Curator: Ina was, notably, the spouse of a socialist mayor. The text's details further contextualize that Holst would find his roots in socialist principles. Such an alliance would inevitably shape his views and thus his art. Editor: And I bet his socio-political beliefs also influenced the labor that goes into such art-making. Penmanship in itself is physical labor and he doesn't mask the process of using a basic ink pen. Curator: Precisely. Think too about the intersectional experience for those such as Ina and how her identity and social standing inform a distinct reading. Editor: It's this unique way of looking, this careful construction in pen on a basic paper, that makes the "Brief" truly beautiful, despite seeming just another old text on aged paper. Curator: The drawing opens doors into diverse perspectives concerning class, the labor movement, artistic intent. Its small format only amplifies how rich the content. Editor: A valuable example that shows us to look past initial aesthetic qualities and deeply study the artwork's physical nature with art history and its socio-economic conditions. Curator: Indeed. I come away feeling even more appreciative of the complexities artists can address using rudimentary materials.