Brief aan Jan Veth Possibly 1922

This undated letter was written with dark ink on paper, probably in Amsterdam by someone from the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten. The handwriting has a looping quality, and almost looks like abstract marks rather than clearly defined words, making me think about how our brains try to make sense of patterns and assign meaning. The tone of the letter, from what I can grasp, seems quite informal and warm. The ink is dark, verging on black, and the paper looks aged, giving it a tactile, almost velvety feel. You can see the pressure of the pen in the varying thickness of the lines. Look at how certain letters are heavily emphasized, as though the writer is etching their thoughts directly onto the page. It reminds me of Cy Twombly’s scrawling calligraphic paintings. The letter shares a certain energy with the work of other artists like Bas Jan Ader, who also explored themes of communication, failure, and the beauty of the incomplete. Ultimately, this piece, like all art, is an open-ended conversation.