Brief aan Cornelis Gerardus 't Hooft Possibly 1919

Jan Veth penned this letter to Cornelis Gerardus 't Hooft in 1919. Look at the way the ink bleeds into the paper, each stroke dark and deliberate, yet yielding to the texture of the page. You can see Veth’s hand in every curve and line. The writing is dense, almost claustrophobic, but it also has a rhythm, a kind of visual music. See how the lines undulate, creating a landscape of words. It’s a deeply personal expression, like a fingerprint pressed onto paper. The dark ink against the off-white background creates a stark contrast, emphasizing the physicality of the writing. It's as if each word is a small, deliberate act of creation. Veth's approach reminds me a bit of Cy Twombly, who also transformed writing into art. Both artists embrace the messiness and imperfection of the human hand, reminding us that art is an ongoing conversation, full of ambiguity and open to endless interpretation.