Briefkaart aan Willem Bogtman before 1928

This is the back of a postcard sent to Willem Bogtman, by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst, although its exact date is unknown. The blue stamp that reads "Bestellen op Zondag" or "Delivery on Sunday" gives us a hint about the cultural context in which this postcard was sent. In the Netherlands, Sunday used to be a day of rest and religious observance. Delivering mail on Sunday was forbidden unless one paid for a special Sunday delivery stamp, which is exactly what we see here. The small cost of this stamp tells us that a quick delivery was of great importance to the sender. The Rijksmuseum holds this postcard as part of its collection, which also includes the correspondence and writings of Roland Holst. This gives art historians a special opportunity to understand the social conditions that shaped his artistic production. By analyzing this postcard in relation to the artist’s other works, we can gain insight into the cultural values and social practices of the Netherlands at the time.