Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1900 - 1924

Curator: Welcome. Here we have "Brief aan Philip Zilcken" a letter by Alidor Delzant, likely from between 1900 and 1924. It’s rendered in ink on paper. Editor: My initial impression is of intimacy. The handwriting, the personal nature of a letter…it feels very close, very human, despite the temporal distance. And I like the overall composition; it makes it readable even for those with vision impairments. Curator: Intimacy is certainly key here. Alidor Delzant, though lesser known, was part of the artistic circles exploring more intimate and personal themes at the turn of the century. The act of writing a letter itself, at that time, was a curated expression of thought and self. Editor: I am particularly interested in how the medium—ink on paper—itself becomes part of the message. The quality of the ink, the texture of the paper, even the pressure of the pen stroke – all contribute to the overall feel. How was this paper produced? What type of ink? Where? It would deepen our connection to this artwork if we looked at the whole manufacturing context. Curator: Absolutely. The choice of materials reflects a deliberate intention. Delzant was engaging with the very culture of correspondence, something of social significance at that time. The handwriting is particularly telling - it has the quality of something crafted. Letters carried enormous social weight at the turn of the 20th century, more than they do in the present time, when a letter can just be printed by a machine, or better yet, just replaced with email. Editor: And that craft, the penmanship itself, hints at the author's state of mind and dedication to the process. In many ways the material process *is* the art. Without pen and ink, you wouldn’t have it. Also, to my mind, by putting up something so ephemeral as an intimate letter to be appreciated, in a public gallery like this, makes this display an interesting interplay between the public and the private domains. Curator: Delzant is engaging with a very ephemeral yet deeply important human activity: Writing. It tells you that there were modes of communications that are quite different to how people are talking today. Editor: This small glimpse into the communication methods and materials that Delzant used give insights into a rich and engaging historic moment.