Brief aan Joop Sjollema Possibly 1938

This letter to Joop Sjollema was written in 1938 by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst, and the first thing you notice is the artist’s hand, literally. I love how the act of writing itself becomes a kind of drawing. The grey ink on the off-white paper creates a subtle contrast, emphasizing the delicate, almost dancing quality of the script. It's like each word is a little gesture, a fleeting thought captured on paper. Notice how the loops and curves of the letters create a rhythm across the page, almost like a musical score. The way the ink varies in darkness, pooling in some spots and fading in others, adds depth and texture to the surface. Holst reminds me a little of Cy Twombly, not just in the way he marks the page, but in his ability to transform simple materials into something deeply evocative. It's a reminder that art isn't just about what you depict, but how you depict it.