Brief aan Pieter Verloren van Themaat Possibly 1862 - 1863

Curator: I’d like to introduce "Brief aan Pieter Verloren van Themaat," a piece held at the Rijksmuseum, possibly dating from 1862 to 1863. The work combines ink and pen on paper. Editor: The letter's handwriting immediately gives me a sense of urgency and intimacy, like a whispered confidence across time. The calligraphic strokes lean forward, full of a nervous energy. Curator: It's remarkable how much character is conveyed through handwriting, isn't it? The pressure of the pen, the slant of the letters... considering it’s just ink on paper, Stortenbeker is creating so much more. Editor: Precisely. Letters become vessels not only of news and information, but of feeling and, yes, even social standing. Who could read and write legibly speaks volumes to that. Curator: There’s a specific flow to the text; almost a rhythmic structure that resembles formal script. Stortenbeker had obviously dedicated his work to the art of crafting an elegant letter to be sent over long distances by horse. It’s so different from how we write and text now. Editor: Think about the labor involved – creating the ink, preparing the quill, practicing penmanship, finding the words, knowing your symbols. Today's mass communication is created almost unconsciously, it seems, on plastic keyboards, where script is a matter of font style, not personal expression. Curator: That's a stark but accurate contrast. This letter reveals so much intentionality, whereas our rapid-fire communications, although efficient, sometimes feel disposable. I imagine Pieter would be distraught by digital communication; it erases the individual character! Editor: Perhaps. It makes one wonder what future archaeologists will make of our texts and emails. Will they detect as much about us from those traces as we discern from Stortenbeker's letter? I mean, what will remain as evidence from current cultures? Curator: A fascinating question indeed! Exploring artifacts and archives help reveal more about ourselves and the culture we leave behind for generations to analyze in the future.