Aantekening after 7

This is Philip Zilcken’s “Aantekening,” housed here at the Rijksmuseum, a handwritten note. This drawing, from the late 19th or early 20th century, speaks volumes about artistic networks and the cult of celebrity that was already forming around famous artists. Here, Zilcken documents a story of a woman who seeks advice from the great Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy. Consider the social implications of corresponding with famous artists like Zilcken and writers like Tolstoy. The note hints at the importance of artistic and intellectual figures as moral authorities. To fully understand this piece, we need to consider the historical context: the rise of literary culture, the growth of the art market, and the increasing public role of artists and writers. The Rijksmuseum’s archives, along with period publications, would be invaluable in piecing together this story. Ultimately, art is always contingent on its social and institutional context, and it is our job as historians to bring that context to light.