Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1903 - 1909

This is a "briefkaart," or postcard, addressed to Philip Zilcken, an artist and art critic, written by the Dutch artist Simon Moulijn. Moulijn, who lived through both World Wars, was deeply embedded in the cultural fabric of the Netherlands, and this simple postcard becomes an artifact of artistic exchange. Consider the intimacy of handwriting versus the impersonality of print, the physicality of sending a message in a pre-digital age. What did it mean for artists like Moulijn and Zilcken to communicate in this manner? This postcard is more than just a message. It's a connection between two figures in the art world. Think about the role of correspondence in shaping artistic communities, and how these networks fostered collaboration and discourse. In our current moment, the immediacy of digital communication often overshadows the reflective nature of written correspondence. This artwork, a brief message, evokes a sense of nostalgia for a slower, more deliberate form of connection.