Brief aan Jan Veth Possibly 1885

This is a letter penned by Willem Bastiaan Tholen in 1885, using ink on paper. The stark contrast between the dark, flowing script and the pale surface immediately captures our attention. Notice how the composition is dominated by lines – the carefully formed characters create a dense field of textual information, yet the spaces between words and lines provide a sense of rhythm and breath. The materiality of the ink, with its varying densities, adds another layer of texture. Tholen’s handwriting itself becomes a form of personal expression, a direct imprint of his thoughts and emotions onto the page. This piece destabilizes the conventional notion of art as purely visual. Here, language and visuality merge. The act of writing becomes an aesthetic gesture, inviting us to consider how communication, in its most intimate form, can be elevated to art. The letter transcends its utilitarian function, becoming an artifact of human connection and artistic intention. It questions the boundaries between personal correspondence and public art.