Brief aan Ary Johannes Lamme 1822 - 1885

Curator: I’m struck by the fragile quality of this artwork. Editor: Indeed. What we're looking at is a letter titled "Brief aan Ary Johannes Lamme," dating roughly from 1822 to 1885, by Louis Charles Auguste Steinheil. It is executed in ink on paper, giving it this rather ephemeral feel. Curator: There’s a profound sense of intimacy, almost a sacredness. Handwritten correspondence was a real artifact of connection then, wasn’t it? The script itself becomes a sort of visual symbol, not just for words but for presence. Editor: Absolutely. Think of the labor invested: the making of the paper, the formulation of the ink. Letters like this were often carried across distances, exposed to various environmental factors. Their survival is a testament to their value, and the means of transportation during the 19th century also play a big part in delivering it, of course. Curator: I imagine the recipient turning this very sheet of paper over and over in their hands. Do you see a cultural continuity, how we continue to project value, now into ephemeral digital exchanges? A tangible expression transformed into immaterial signals... fascinating. Editor: Interesting comparison. And this material artifact also testifies to societal structures: the cost of materials, literacy rates, and access to postal services all dictated who could participate in this type of communication. Were such exchanges limited by status, skill, resources? The letter reveals access but also, perhaps, inaccessibility. Curator: Its preservation grants it a weight of shared history; perhaps also romanticizing past correspondence. We imbue handwritten objects with emotions now. Editor: Yes, a sentimentality linked to touch and the unrepeatable mark of the hand. Knowing these types of communications have ceased to exist changes the symbolic significance for us as well. I find its simplicity deceptive, in its production this reflects labor but it evokes meaning with written intent. Curator: Thinking about how much intention it must have taken for both parties involved! Thank you, I learned new ways of reflecting and thinking about what might normally seem ordinary. Editor: A valuable lens indeed; focusing on the conditions of making reveals untold narratives about human connection across time!