Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken before 1889

Adriaan Pit created this carte postale to Philip Zilcken out of paper, ink and the postal system. Pit, who lived between 1860 and 1944, occupied a unique position as a poet, museum director, and printmaker. As a document of correspondence, this card speaks to a particular moment in history when physical mail was a primary means of communication. Consider the labor and social structures that enabled its creation, from postal workers to paper manufacturers. The act of handwriting a message carries an intimacy absent from our digital communications. Think about the careful selection of words, the pressure of the pen on paper, and the anticipation of the recipient. The Rijksmuseum's preservation of this card transforms a fleeting personal message into a historical artifact, an act which underscores the power dynamics inherent in what society chooses to remember and value. This simple postcard invites us to reflect on the relationship between personal expression, historical context, and the preservation of memory.