Brief aan Philip Zilcken 1911 - 1930

This letter to Philip Zilcken by Rose Imel, was made, I’m guessing, with a fountain pen on whatever paper was at hand. Look at how the looping lines dance across the page, varying in pressure and darkness, sometimes bunching together, sometimes stretching out. It's like watching someone think, the pen a seismograph of their mind. The texture of the paper seems smooth, almost translucent, allowing the ink to bleed ever so slightly, creating a soft, blurred edge to each stroke. The color is off-white, aged, and carrying the weight of time. There's a spot where the ink pools, creating a dark, almost black blot – a moment of emphasis, or perhaps just a slip of the hand. This piece reminds me of Cy Twombly’s scrawls, but more intimate, more personal. Rose wasn't trying to make a grand statement, she was just writing a letter, sharing her thoughts, her life, with a friend. And in that simple act, she created something beautiful, something real. It’s a reminder that art doesn’t always have to be monumental; sometimes, it can be found in the everyday.