Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1901 - 1915

Here's that letter to Philip Zilcken, probably whipped up with ink on paper by J.A. Loeber Jr. I’m always struck by the rhythm of handwriting. It's like a dance, a quick, light-footed process of decision making - choosing the weight and flow of each stroke, the space between the words, the overall architecture of the message. The letter is laid out with the kind of care you see in abstract expressionist painting. Look at the way the ink sits on the page, how it fades and swells, almost like it’s breathing. The paper itself is aged and stained, giving it a kind of history and texture. Isn't that signature at the bottom just so full of character? It reminds me a little of Cy Twombly’s scribbled masterpieces, though obviously in a very different key. Both artists seem to be reaching for something beyond the literal, embracing ambiguity and the sheer pleasure of mark-making.