Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1901 - 1904

This letter, "Brief aan Philip Zilcken," was written in Nancy, in 1901, by René Wiener. Look at that elegant flourish of the pen, how the ink pools and thins! I wonder, what was René thinking as he wrote? Maybe he felt that the right word, the right phrase, could unlock a deeper connection with Philip, his addressee, and with the work of bookbinding that he’s describing. I get a real sense of a maker, someone who's immersed in the tactile and material aspects of their craft. I can see the hand of the artist shaping the letters. The careful strokes of the pen feel connected to the work of other bookbinders and writers who came before him, each contributing to the conversation. It’s a good reminder that art is an ongoing process, a dialogue across time. It's never really finished, just open to new possibilities.