Briefkaart aan Jan Veth before 1911

This Briefkaart aan Jan Veth by Cornelis Hofstede de Groot; 1863-1930 is a painted postcard, carrying stamps and a message. Imagine the artist sitting down to create this small gesture of connection. Perhaps the artist felt a sense of obligation, or maybe even anticipation of a warm conversation. It's so cool when artists use quotidian objects. There are all these layers of communication and thought: the Dutch coat of arms and the stamps, and then the handwriting, looping across the surface. The address is underlined in blue, like an emphatic stroke—a visual echo of the hand's movement. It's fascinating how something so functional can become an artifact of a specific moment in time. I find myself thinking about other artist correspondences—the letters between Van Gogh and his brother Theo, or the postcards that Cy Twombly sent to friends. Artists have always been in conversation, inspiring one another, using any means necessary. This postcard reminds us that even the simplest forms of expression can carry profound meaning.