Briefkaart aan August Allebé Possibly 1911 - 1930

This postcard was likely produced in the Netherlands, in the early 20th century. It offers us insight into the social and cultural practices around communication and correspondence at the time. The very existence of a standardized "briefkaart," or postcard, indicates the development of postal systems and affordable communication networks that permeated society. The Dutch coat of arms and the stamp suggest the role of the state in facilitating and regulating these communications. Also, the handwritten address suggests a personal connection between the sender and recipient, perhaps a student and professor. August Allebé, was the director of the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten. Examining postal history can reveal much about social networks, literacy levels, and bureaucratic systems within a particular time and place. For scholars, these everyday artifacts offer valuable information about the circulation of images and ideas, and the shaping of cultural identity through formal institutions.