Brief aan Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk 1883 - 1915

Curator: So, here we have a letter, drawn with ink on paper, dating from between 1883 and 1915. The artist is Matthijs Maris, and it’s currently held at the Rijksmuseum. The title translates to "Letter to Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk." Editor: It feels quite intimate, like catching a glimpse of a very private moment. The handwritten script has such character. Almost…melancholic, would you say? Curator: The materiality certainly contributes to that sense. The paper itself has aged, you can imagine the ink soaking into it over time. I'm interested in the role paper played. This wasn't just about conveying information, it was about shaping a personal relationship. Editor: I can almost feel Maris's hand as he wrote. And what’s especially interesting is the letter appears to be almost like a drawing in itself, with the text carefully arranged across the page. It transforms the mundane act of writing into something…artistic. Curator: Precisely. Think of the physical labour, the conscious selection of materials - even the pressure applied to the nib. It's fascinating how what we often dismiss as ephemera offers this incredibly rich textural experience and narrative depth. The social context as well – corresponding through writing and then preserving that piece of writing adds to our historical narrative. Editor: So much is implied. Who was Pieter? What was the nature of their relationship? These traces spark an unending chain of imaginings. Perhaps he didn't intend for the letter to become so intimate, it feels uncomfortably intrusive somehow. Curator: The incomplete address gives the piece a found artifact type feel, a unique artifact plucked from obscurity that lends insight to everyday existence during Maris’s lifetime. Editor: Yes. Ultimately, this artwork makes us realize even mundane communications can have an incredibly long after-life, allowing people a chance to re-connect with intimate, past memories.