Brief aan Jan Veth Possibly 1893 - 1896

Editor: We’re looking at “Brief aan Jan Veth” by George Hendrik Breitner, probably from sometime between 1893 and 1896. It’s pen and ink on paper, and it's at the Rijksmuseum. It strikes me as a very intimate, almost furtive peek into the artist’s world, doesn't it? What catches your eye when you look at it? Curator: "Furtive," yes, exactly! Like stumbling upon someone's deeply personal musings. To me, this isn’t just a letter, it's a portal into Breitner's soul. Imagine him hunched over this very paper, in the cool Amsterdam light, wrestling with his thoughts and feelings – his handwriting, a flurry of energy and urgency, mirroring the bustling city he so loved to paint. What do you make of the fact it's addressed to Jan Veth? Does that change anything for you? Editor: I suppose it personalizes it even more! Knowing it’s intended for another artist, a contemporary, suggests a certain level of candidness. Is there anything specific about Breitner's style in the letter itself? Curator: Absolutely! Breitner was an Impressionist, remember. While he is better known for cityscapes, even in this small piece of personal writing, you see that same fascination with capturing a moment, a feeling. It's there in the rhythm of the handwriting, the weight of the ink…He's *sketching* with words, wouldn’t you say? Almost as if the letter itself is a piece of art. Editor: I see what you mean. It's less about the *what* and more about the *how*. I would never have thought to apply Impressionism to handwriting before. Curator: It's all connected. Art, life, expression. Breitner seemed to know that instinctively. It really is something to be in such close contact with his life. So, what are your thoughts now? Editor: I now feel more empathetic toward the artists and see beyond the constraints of a painting hanging on the wall. Thanks so much for pointing those things out.