Brief aan Philip Zilcken 1875 - 1930

Here, at the Rijksmuseum is a letter by Isaac Israels to Philip Zilcken. It's all written in faded ink on off-white paper. Look how casually, almost frantically, the words spill across the page. I imagine Israels hunched over his desk, the nib of his pen scratching urgently as he pours out his thoughts. The rhythm of his handwriting is so expressive, it’s like a dance, each stroke a gesture, a feeling made visible. Did you notice how he loops a word, like a painter layering brushstrokes to build up texture? You can sense the energy, like a sketch done in one breath. It's not just about the message, it's the raw, unfiltered expression, like Cy Twombly scrawling across a canvas. It is a beautiful thing to witness - this quiet correspondence between artists, a reminder of their shared humanity and creative kinship.