Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1890

This is a letter from Floris Verster to Philip Zilcken, written in 1890. It gives us a glimpse into the financial realities of the art world at the time. Verster discusses sending work to the United States, specifically New York, for an exhibition. The bulk of the letter itemizes prices for his artworks in dollars. The letter reveals the economic transactions that underpin artistic exchange, the negotiation of value, and the artist's reliance on institutional structures like exhibitions to make a living. Consider the Rijksmuseum's role in preserving this document, turning private correspondence into a public object. What does it mean when a letter detailing the economics of art becomes itself a valued artwork? To delve deeper, one might research the art market of the late 19th century, exhibition practices, and the biographies of both Verster and Zilcken. This letter reminds us that art history is as much about money and institutions as it is about aesthetics.