Visitekaartje aan Philip Zilcken 1869 - 1937

This is a visiting card made by Arsène Alexandre, now here at the Rijksmuseum. You can see how the ink almost dances across the card, light and dark, like a spontaneous thought taking shape. I imagine Alexandre, pen in hand, maybe a bit hurried, yet crafting each word with care and precision. The writing here is so personal and immediate, it feels like you're catching a glimpse into his mind. There’s something so intimate about seeing someone’s handwriting, isn’t there? It feels like a direct connection to the artist, as if we're getting a sense of their presence and intentions. It reminds me of Cy Twombly's scribbled paintings, which are like personal notations. Just like Twombly, Alexandre seems to explore the boundaries between writing and drawing, where each stroke is a gesture of expression. These artists encourage us to embrace uncertainty, to find meaning in the act of creation itself. They show how art can be a space of possibility.