Brief aan Frans Buffa en Zonen Possibly 1862 - 1863

This letter to Frans Buffa en Zonen was written in 1862 by David Bles, using paper and ink. Seemingly mundane, these materials speak volumes. The paper itself, likely mass-produced, reflects the rise of industrial capitalism, making communication more accessible. But the handwritten script, full of flourishes, speaks to Bles's personal touch, a direct connection to the recipient. The act of writing, with its inherent slowness, contrasts with the speed of industrial production. Notice the slight imperfections in the paper, the unevenness of the ink. These are not signs of failure, but rather evidence of the human hand at work, a reminder of the labor involved in even the simplest act of communication. This letter, in its humble materiality, embodies the tension between the personal and the industrial, the individual and the mass-produced. Appreciating the materials and the making gives us a richer understanding of its time.