Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1911

This is Adolphe Thalasso’s postcard to Philip Zilcken, a little note made sometime around 1911. It’s all about the hand, right? The way the ink bleeds ever so slightly into the paper gives everything a soft edge. And that looping cursive – the way “Monsieur” curves into “Critique d’art” – there’s a real dance there. It feels like a quick gesture, not overworked, but with a strong sense of rhythm. The penmanship shows the artist's touch through the written word rather than an image. Look at the way he underlines “La Haye Hollande” with that confident flourish. The line isn’t just a line; it’s a mark, a statement, a little piece of the artist’s personality. It reminds me of Cy Twombly’s scribbles, or even some of the Dadaists' playful use of language. It's like he's saying, "I was here. I wrote this. This is me." Art is such a wonderful conversation and exchange of ideas across time.