Brief aan Ary Johannes Lamme Possibly 1848

Curator: Looking at this drawing titled "Brief aan Ary Johannes Lamme" or "Letter to Ary Johannes Lamme", dating back possibly to 1848 and held in the Rijksmuseum collection, it's amazing how much feeling can be conveyed through something as simple as ink on paper. Editor: You know, it’s funny. My first reaction is a feeling of old world courtesy, but the script itself feels hasty, like the writer was in a hurry to get the message across. Curator: Absolutely, and that's part of the appeal, I think. Huib van Hove Bz, the artist, uses the pen like a painter uses a brush, even with what appears to be quick penmanship. Editor: He’s using that romantic script of the time, yes, and given that artists were often reliant on patronage and social networks, it reads as very functional, communicating the request in the missive as well as indicating the proper social performance of that world. Curator: Exactly. These handwritten documents provide insight into the network between artists at the time. The letter embodies the era’s artistic culture itself, when personal connections truly shaped creative opportunities. Imagine being on the receiving end of this; the weight of the request and anticipation it holds. Editor: It really transports you. Considering its placement in the Rijksmuseum, the letter now acts as a historical artifact. The art world is built on connections and image management. To see it so explicitly laid out this way is quite telling. It feels as if, in this note, the curtain is pulled back ever so slightly, granting an unexpected glimpse into the artifice that can lurk behind artistic movements. Curator: Well, seeing such raw artistry combined with what can be regarded today as such an informal way of going about making connections and cementing networks certainly humanizes that entire era for me. Editor: Right, seeing an object that once facilitated personal connection now frozen behind glass prompts consideration of museums and galleries which now facilitate very different kinds of encounters between art, commerce and the public.