Instructie bij het schrijven van de Nederlandse letteren (zesde vervolg) en een kort bericht van de lopende handen 1605

Curator: Here, adorning the walls of the Rijksmuseum, is "Instructie bij het schrijven van de Nederlandse letteren (zesde vervolg) en een kort bericht van de lopende handen," a typographical print crafted in 1605 by Jan van de Velde I. Editor: My initial sense is one of calm. Even though I cannot read it, the text has an undeniable aesthetic quality; I feel strangely soothed by the even, ordered arrangement of these inky symbols. Curator: This piece provides instruction in writing Dutch script, as the rather lengthy title implies! Van de Velde details techniques and offers observations about the forms and connections within lettering. Editor: The loops and lines have a mesmerizing quality. Looking closely, it’s apparent how systematically each stroke must have been laid down, like rows of dark crops furrowed upon parchment. There is beauty here. Curator: Absolutely, he approaches typography with both precision and artistry. The print uses ink on paper and showcases both drawing and printmaking techniques to explore Dutch Golden Age calligraphy. Note the "Kort bericht vande loopende banden" passage and initial drop cap. Editor: You see how some passages appear denser and darker than others. Perhaps that’s emphasizing crucial principles—the "principal letters" needed to attain that 'perfectie vant vvel schrijven,' as written in the main block, to make perfection when writing! There is clear joy and love for lettering within it. Curator: It does communicate passion and erudition. The writing seems to aspire not just to instruction, but also to something elevated: encouraging practitioners to envision perfections. Editor: So we could say the image shows precision meeting flair, intellect meeting passion, function with beauty: elements bound tightly like the artist’s recommended ‘tzamen-bindinge der lettere’. Curator: That's astute. Ultimately, Van de Velde transforms what could be a mere technical manual into a celebration of the art of writing itself. Editor: So let's leave with an insight that even writing about penmanship—in my best attempt to employ what I cannot perform myself—carries some creative power in it? It makes me want to scribe words immediately...