Brief aan Philip Zilcken 1880 - 1930

This letter to Philip Zilcken was written by B.E. van Houten, probably with a dip pen and ink on a piece of stationary. I love seeing the artist’s hand so directly. The writing is spidery and personal, full of loops and whimsy. You can almost feel her sitting at her desk, the pen scratching across the paper as she composes her thoughts. The ink is a faded grey, like a memory, and there are smudges here and there – evidence of the artist’s touch, or perhaps a tear? The letter feels intimate and immediate, like a peek into a private world. The shapes of the letters remind me a bit of Cy Twombly's handwriting, that beautiful looping line. This piece reminds us that art isn’t just about grand statements or perfect execution. It’s about the small, human moments, the everyday gestures that connect us to one another.