Brief aan Jan Veth Possibly 1887 - 1889

Curator: Here we have Willem Witsen’s "Brief aan Jan Veth," thought to be penned between 1887 and 1889. It’s an ink drawing on paper, a personal letter. Editor: It has the intimacy of a private thought. The hasty strokes of ink seem charged with unspoken sentiment, a yearning maybe. Curator: Indeed. Observe how Witsen crafts the letter forms, each stroke contributing to a texture that is both immediate and timeless. There's a structural elegance within its informality. Editor: Absolutely. You can feel the symbolic weight of handwritten correspondence. The labor of forming each letter, the permanence of ink - this wasn't a fleeting digital message, but a deliberate, enduring gesture. There is a clear link to older traditions of written texts conveying great personal import, isn’t there? Curator: Yes, look how the weight of the ink varies, creating a tonal range that gives depth to a relatively simple composition. The structure of the text itself becomes a field of dark and light. The overall geometry, the way it fills the rectangular paper - a pleasing asymmetry. Editor: And the handwriting itself…it serves as an artifact imbued with the emotional and psychological presence of the artist, reaching out beyond a simple communication, the particular shape each word taking suggesting both urgency and intention. Curator: Notice the elegant signature, a final flourish to an otherwise utilitarian form of communication. How the flourish underlines the overall structure. Editor: The signature definitely adds to the reading experience. And there’s such vulnerability, in offering one's thoughts up in such a tangible way. The choice of paper, ink—materials loaded with cultural memory, and symbolic value. It all underscores how vital personal contact once was, before digital modes diminished touch and tone. Curator: So, it becomes more than just words, it’s the act of mark-making itself that elevates it. Editor: Indeed, this "Brief" is not merely a document but an intimate self portrait, etched in ink, steeped in memory and intention. Curator: A fascinating piece, one that reveals the artist's eye even in the simplest of communications. Editor: A small window into a relationship. It truly is.