Brief aan Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk 1869 - 1915

This letter was written by the Dutch artist Antoon Derkinderen, likely in the late 19th or early 20th century. It gives us a peek into the social circles of artists at the time. The letter is addressed to Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk, who was the director of Museum Boijmans in Rotterdam. The informal tone suggests a close friendship or working relationship between them. Derkinderen discusses his work on a drawing, mentioning the difficulties he encountered and his satisfaction with the final result. We can consider how institutions like the Museum Boijmans shaped artistic production in the Netherlands. Letters such as this are important resources for art historians. They allow us to understand the social and professional networks that supported artists, as well as the artistic values of the time. These kinds of primary documents, along with exhibition catalogues and critical reviews, can help us understand the social conditions in which art is made.