Geannoteerde transcriptie van een brief aan Fridolin Becker after 4

This annotated transcription of a letter to Fridolin Becker was written in 1869 by Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk, using paper and ink. These were, of course, the basic materials of communication. The letter itself, a mode of production. The handwritten text, inscribed with a pointed nib, speaks to the effort and care involved in communication before the age of mechanical reproduction. The letter’s physical presence—the texture of the paper, the loops and flourishes of the handwriting—imbues the message with a sense of intimacy and personal connection, absent from today’s digital communications. The social context of this letter is interesting: a glimpse into the everyday life of the artist, his friends, and associates. We learn that the artist is with Romani, who doesn't want the letter's recipient to lodge with him, as he wants payment. Consider how the materiality of this letter connects it to broader social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. The cost of paper and ink, the time taken to write and deliver the message—these factors shaped the ways in which people communicated and the relationships they maintained.