Brief aan Willem Bogtman Possibly 1921

This is a letter by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst, from 1921, made with ink on paper. I’m struck by the intimacy of a handwritten letter. The ink bleeds slightly into the fibers of the page, making the writing look almost like it's breathing. I notice the way he forms his letters – the loops and strokes, the pressure he applies. It's so personal, like a fingerprint on the page. There’s a rhythm to the handwriting, the way the lines curve and intersect, a unique composition. The letter isn't just about the words themselves; it's about the materiality of the writing. It reminds me of Cy Twombly’s scrawled paintings, where the act of writing becomes a form of drawing, a way of capturing thought and emotion in real time. Holst’s letter is a reminder that art is about communication, connection, and the enduring power of the human touch.