Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken before 1914

Here we have, Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken, a postcard likely made in 1914. The artist, F.M. Melchers, makes marks with a dark ink on a pale surface, the type usually found on postcards. It’s simple and utilitarian, but so much is communicated through these deliberate, almost casual gestures. Look at the looping, fluid script, there's a real sense of a human hand here. The ink, dark and defined, contrasts beautifully with the off-white card, creating an intimate dialogue between text and surface. The stamp, a small blue square in the upper corner, along with the circular postmark, anchor the piece to a specific time and place. The marks create a kind of choreography. They remind me of Cy Twombly’s scribbles, or even some of Basquiat’s more textual pieces, where writing becomes drawing and meaning is layered rather than linear. Ultimately, this postcard is a reminder that art can be found in the everyday, in the simplest of gestures, and in the most unassuming of materials.