Brief aan Ary Johannes Lamme 1882

This letter to Ary Johannes Lamme was penned by Anna Louisa Geertruyda Bosboom-Toussaint, likely in the late 19th century. It’s formed from paper, ink, and the postal system, all products of burgeoning industrialization. Consider the materiality of this letter. The paper, likely machine-made, speaks to the rise of mass production. The handwriting, in contrast, offers a personal touch, a direct link to the author. Ink, once carefully mixed, was becoming a standardized product, available to all. The postal stamps are also significant. They reflect the growing efficiency of communication networks, knitting together a society increasingly connected by trade, migration and shared information. This letter embodies the tensions of its time: between hand and machine, individual expression and mass production, local community and a globalizing world. In studying an object like this, we gain insights into the lived experience of the past, challenging traditional notions of what constitutes art and how it intersects with the everyday.