Briefkaart aan Frans Buffa en Zonen Possibly 1891 - 1897

This is a postcard to Frans Buffa en Zonen, crafted from paper and ink, around 1901 in Amsterdam, by Jozef Israëls. The material of this humble missive is not that of high art. It’s not oil on canvas, or marble. It is paper, an everyday material made accessible by industrial processes. The printing, stamping, and handwriting on it speak to systems of communication enabled by mass production and distribution. The postal system itself represents a network of labor, connecting people through the exchange of information and goods. Look closely, and you might see this postcard as a kind of social document. It captures a moment in time, revealing the infrastructure of communication that underpinned the modern world. It reminds us that even the most functional objects can carry cultural significance. And it challenges us to reconsider the value we place on different forms of making.