Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken before 1928

Editor: This is "Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken," a drawing in ink on paper by Joseph Mendes da Costa, sometime before 1928. It feels almost ghostly, a whisper of communication across time. How might we interpret the symbolism here? Curator: A fascinating question. Let's start with the most obvious: it's a postcard. What does that mean to you, as an object meant for transit? Beyond a simple message, what emotions do handwritten cards invoke compared to our digital forms of communication today? Editor: It feels more personal, tangible somehow. It has a sense of intimacy we seem to have lost. Curator: Precisely! Consider the embossed crest, the stamps. These weren't simply functional, but also carried national identity and, of course, value. Even the calligraphic handwriting of both the address and ‘briefkaart’ text evokes craft. Do you notice any other symbols? Editor: Well, the postal stamp... the circle itself contains images, right? Also, what about the number "A 76" stamped on the card? Curator: Yes, the circular stamp, which marries text with locality. The number... intriguing. It marks this particular card within a bureaucratic system, perhaps a code for processing or filing. Symbols operate on multiple layers, don't they? Think about what "A 76" could suggest…the year? A filing code within the postal system? Editor: So, each mark – the handwriting, the stamp, the crest – each becomes a piece of the puzzle in understanding the values placed on communication. Curator: Precisely. Every line, every impression speaks to how relationships were negotiated and how the state sought to codify human actions, even through something as simple as sending a postcard. It’s the mundane, seen through the lens of material culture. Editor: This has broadened my perspective, revealing layers I hadn't considered, where ordinary actions bear societal memory and identity. Curator: Indeed, it highlights how every message becomes embedded within wider structures of meaning and visual symbolism.