Prentbriefkaart aan Jan Veth Possibly 1920 - 1928

This postcard was written by Isaac Israels to Jan Veth. Just look at those words, scratched down, looping, hurrying across the page in dark ink. You can feel Israels' hand, can’t you? He’s rushing to tell his friend about his trip. I love the immediacy here. The artist's hand becomes a kind of seismograph, mapping the inner world. I can imagine him thinking about what to say, how to say it, crossing things out, and finally committing to the page. Each stroke tells a story. Painters are always having a conversation with each other, across time and space. Israels is part of that conversation, too, connected to the old masters, but also to his contemporaries. This little postcard helps me to remember that art isn’t just about grand statements, but about the small, intimate gestures that connect us to each other.