Brief aan Willem Bogtman Possibly 1925

Curator: This is "Brief aan Willem Bogtman," possibly from 1925, by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst, created with ink on paper. A handwritten letter; what’s your initial reaction to it? Editor: Well, I notice it's a personal letter. It has this very intimate feel, just based on the handwritten text. The cursive seems elegant and flowing, like he put great thought into this specific language. It also feels very much from another era. What else can we interpret? Curator: The choice of language and script, during that time, carried a social and cultural significance that’s largely lost today. Roland Holst, deeply involved in socialist ideals and the Arts and Crafts movement, deliberately employed a craft-based aesthetic even in something as commonplace as a letter. Editor: So, it wasn't just a practical form of communication; it was also a conscious artistic and political statement? Curator: Exactly. The elegant script, the careful wording—all reinforce a sense of considered intention, a rejection of industrialized, mass-produced communication. He's communicating an intimacy, yes, but also perhaps resisting broader societal shifts toward mechanization and standardization. Do you see this resistance in his choice to send the letter? Editor: It’s like he's choosing to slow things down, reclaim a personal connection through a handcrafted, deliberate act. By choosing this type of slower connection instead of a faster message, he sends the letter's intention as the message itself. Curator: Precisely! The letter transcends its immediate content; it embodies a whole set of values relating to art, society, and human connection. It creates an alternative meaning as a time capsule. Editor: I never considered the letter's artistic value. Thank you!