Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken before 1913

This postcard to Philip Zilcken was sent by Theo van Hoytema in 1913. It’s funny, when I look at this, I think of language as a raw material. The handwriting is so casual, so intimate, that it’s almost like a drawing, a series of marks and gestures. Look at the way he forms the letters, the loops and curves and scribbles. You can sense the movement of his hand, the pressure of the pen on the paper. It is like a spontaneous dance. The ink is thin, transparent, like a watercolor wash, and the texture of the paper gives it a subtle grain. The stamps, slightly faded, add another layer of texture and color. It’s a really unassuming piece, but it speaks volumes about the process of communication, of reaching out to another person with a simple message. Cy Twombly also worked with handwriting in a similar way, turning words into abstract, expressive forms. I think there’s so much beauty in imperfection, in the little quirks and imperfections that make each of us unique.