Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1901 - 1912

This letter to Philip Zilcken was composed with ink on paper in 1901 by Annie Maris. The ink is deeply black, giving the text a strong presence on the page. I can almost imagine the writer, hunched over her desk, carefully forming each letter. You know, writing is a physical act, and the way she presses down on the page with her pen, the rhythm of her hand as she moves across the paper—it gives the impression of someone deeply invested in what they are trying to say. Each stroke feels deliberate. I wonder if she was thinking about the weight of her words and how they might affect the recipient? Or perhaps she was simply focused on getting her thoughts down as clearly and honestly as possible? I see here an artist is in conversation with the world, one careful stroke at a time.