Brief aan Frans Buffa en Zonen Possibly 1877

This is a letter written in Venice on March 29, 1877 by Ludwig Passini to Frans Buffa and Sons in Amsterdam. During the 19th century, letter writing was a key means of communication, especially for artists navigating the art world and maintaining connections across Europe. Passini, an Italian genre painter of German descent, likely used this letter to correspond with art dealers, a vital, yet often fraught relationship for artists. He mentions a delay in sending two pieces and references a shared desire to sell watercolors. The act of writing itself can be viewed as a performance, revealing the artist's negotiation of his identity. He uses the intimate and immediate form of a handwritten letter to address complex, potentially fraught transactions, perhaps seeking to create a personal connection which transcends business. Passini was part of a wave of 19th century artists who felt like they had to leave their homelands to fully express themselves. Like Passini, this letter offers an opportunity to reflect on the interplay of personal expression and social positioning that artists navigate while interacting with different audiences.