Brief aan Pieter Gerardus van Os Possibly 1820

This is a letter made in 1820 by Jan Hulswit, with ink on paper. The letter presents a fascinating interplay between legibility and abstraction. Hulswit’s elegant script forms rows of evenly spaced marks across the page. However, the fading ink and blotches of discoloration obscure the clarity of the strokes, creating a visual tension. The high contrast of the dark ink against the light paper establishes a clear figure-ground relationship. Yet, the stains disrupt this order, introducing elements of chance and materiality. The letter’s physical degradation challenges fixed meanings. The materiality of the ink and paper, and the effects of time destabilize the original message, inviting us to consider the ephemeral nature of communication. The stains and fading transform the letter into an artifact, a poignant reminder of its historical context and the passage of time.