Brief aan Jan Veth 1890 - 1891

This is a letter by Jacoba Cornelia Jolles-Singels to Jan Veth, undated, written on paper with ink. The visual impression is dominated by the textured strokes of handwriting densely packed across the page. This creates an overall sense of intimacy, like a personal exchange caught in time. Formally, the script is the artwork's structure and content. The way the letters crowd and overlap creates a kind of abstract pattern. Each word and sentence can be seen as a semiotic sign. Jolles-Singels challenges conventional form by using the letter to connect with Jan Veth, and in that sense it embodies a challenge to the formal, structured conventions. The artwork challenges our assumptions about what constitutes art by using everyday communication in a deliberate way. This blurs the boundaries between personal expression and artistic intent, inviting us to find meaning in the smallest details and the overall structure of the letter.