Brief aan Willem Bogtman Possibly 1921

This letter was written by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst in 1921. It’s a simple sheet of paper covered in handwriting – flowing lines of dark ink. I wonder what it was like for him to write it? Was he at a desk or in a cafe? Did the words rush out of him, or did he pause and reflect as he went? There’s a rhythm to the script that reminds me of drawing. The loops and curves create a kind of visual music, a dance across the page. Every letter is individual, just like brushstrokes in a painting. The weight of the line varies, creating emphasis and texture, like the build-up of paint on canvas. And like a painting, a letter can be interpreted in many ways. It's a record of a moment in time, a connection between people.