Briefkaart aan Anna Dorothea Dirks before 1914

Wally Moes made this briefkaart to Anna Dorothea Dirks, likely in 1914, using commercially produced cardstock and pen and ink. The card itself is a testament to mass production and distribution, a sign of increasing industrialization and interconnectedness. The text is handwritten and personal; the artist expressing a dire thought as it relates to WWI. The handwriting itself speaks to a level of literacy and education, indicative of a certain social class, and contrasts with the mechanization of the card's production. Note the pre-printed word "BRIEFKAART" on the card, which is a nod to standardization and efficiency, both hallmarks of industrial capitalism. The two-and-a-half cent stamp in the upper right corner allowed people to participate in larger social and political events by circulating their thoughts on a mass scale. Paying attention to materials, modes of production, and the context in which they were created is critical to fully understanding the meaning and social implications of such seemingly modest artworks.