Brief aan Anthonie Willem Hendrik Nolthenius de Man Possibly 1836

Curator: Here we have Lodewijk Anthony Vintcent's "Brief aan Anthonie Willem Hendrik Nolthenius de Man," possibly from 1836, housed at the Rijksmuseum. It's an ink drawing on paper. Editor: It looks like a page torn from a personal sketchbook. I'm drawn to the elegant, old-fashioned handwriting and the intimate feel of the letter itself. It evokes a sense of history and personal connection, despite my not being able to read it. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, a letter – those curious remnants of a lost intimacy, right? I am intrigued by how the handwritten word straddles both art and communication. In many ways this could also be viewed as an expression of calligraphy, right? The "old engraving style," as you mentioned. Think about the weight placed on letters then, especially in correspondences... Do you feel a sense of performance or deliberation, perhaps in how each word is formed? Editor: That's an interesting perspective; I was more focused on the spontaneity. There's something quite fluid about the script that made me feel that it was naturally flowing from the pen. The letter exudes a quiet grace. So it's fascinating how our experiences diverge so sharply; yours feels more objective! Curator: And doesn’t that prove the point? In an artwork like this, unfinished and personal, each view colours the truth; a delicious mix! I am walking away from it seeing its raw vulnerability—almost unfinished—and how it gives an unprecedented glimpse into an era.