Brief aan Ary Johannes Lamme 1846 - 1847

This letter to Ary Johannes Lamme was written in 1846 in Amsterdam by Nicolaas Pieneman. A handwritten document, it reflects the social customs of nineteenth-century correspondence, where personal connections were maintained through carefully crafted messages. Pieneman, a painter of historical scenes and portraits, discusses in Dutch a model, possibly named Benger Bager Benjamin Catenio. The choice of a male model in this context touches upon the prevalent academic traditions of the time, where the male nude was central to artistic training, embodying classical ideals of beauty and form. The request of posing suggests Pieneman's active participation in the art world and his dependence on human interaction and relationships to foster his artistic creation. Consider the labor involved in this handwritten note, and think about how this form of communication shapes identity and connection differently from our own time. The letter is a reminder of a more intimate, embodied way of relating to one another.