Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1889

This is a carte postale to Philip Zilcken, penned by Adriaan Pit in 1889. The stamps are not mere administrative marks; they are potent symbols of state authority and social connectivity. These unassuming emblems echo throughout history, from the earliest seals of dominion to modern expressions of national identity. Consider the double circle mark of Bruxelles, it represents the city as a bounded, protected space. This echoes the walls of ancient cities, protective circles found in countless cultures, from Roman fortifications to indigenous settlements. These patterns recur across epochs, underscoring our shared need for safety and order. The act of sending a letter, too, embodies a profound psychological exchange, a gesture of reaching out across physical distance. Like signals across time, these correspondences tap into a deep-seated human drive to connect and communicate, seeking to bridge the distances that separate us. These recurring motifs speak to the cyclical, non-linear progression of symbols across time, evolving in form yet echoing fundamental human experiences.