Brief aan een tentoonstellingscommissie 1795 - 1857

Curator: We have here “Brief aan een tentoonstellingscommissie,” or "Letter to an Exhibition Committee" by Woutherus Mol, made between 1795 and 1857, employing ink on paper. The first thing I notice is how aged the work appears and how beautifully the ink has aged in tone and lustre on this paper. What do you make of it? Editor: It does have a lovely antiquated feel, doesn’t it? The penmanship is quite elaborate, and one almost feels the rhythm of the hand that penned this letter. What would you say defines this letter formally? Curator: Indeed. If we consider the piece formally, note first that Mol’s selection of medium – the contrasting color and reflective properties of ink against a white plane – already establish dynamic tonality and calligraphic presence, which itself communicates a mood and the subject, even without knowledge of language. Consider the interplay between script, paper, and negative space. Is the texture of the paper meaningful in terms of art history? Editor: Interesting point. The somewhat coarse texture and slight discoloration enhance the work's tangible connection to the past and could enhance one's appreciation of that era's communication practices. Does the quality of line denote anything further about his style, in particular when observing Romanticism’s characteristics? Curator: The pressure and varying widths are intrinsic and significant. In their time these stylistic embellishments, combined with certain compositional tropes, would have had strong communicative and emotional impacts on viewers trained to appreciate such skill, communicating much of its intended effect. What, for you, did you learn here? Editor: I now recognize the piece more as a deliberate artifact than just a document of record. I focused on the inherent elegance of the handwriting itself, but I also gained an understanding about this artistic medium and technique to apply to future analyses. Thank you.