Brief aan Philip Zilcken 1878 - 1930

This letter, from Johan Thorn Prikker, is a glimpse into the practical side of art making, kind of like seeing the scaffolding behind a grand building. The artist used ink on paper to write to Philip Zilcken. There’s a directness in the strokes of the pen, a confidence in the curves and lines, which feels very performative. Look at how the ink pools in places, creating darker accents. This contrast gives a lovely rhythm to the page, almost like a musical score. The words themselves, and the way they’re listed and priced, reveal the nuts and bolts of making a living as an artist, the commerce that underpins the creative process. It reminds us that art, even at its most transcendent, is also a job. This piece resonates with the work of other artists, like Cy Twombly, who embraced the gestural and the handwritten in their work, blurring the lines between writing and drawing.