Brief aan Pieter Haverkorn van Rijsewijk Possibly 1906

This is a letter written in 1908 by Cornelis Hofstede de Groot. The dominant visual symbols here are the written words themselves, arranged meticulously on the page. But what do they signify beyond their literal meaning? Consider the act of writing and sending letters through time; it has resurfaced in various forms. From ancient scrolls to printed epistles and now digital emails, it highlights our enduring need to communicate across distances. In the letter, the careful handwriting speaks to a desire for clarity and connection, yet it also hints at the inherent limitations of language. The letter signifies a psychological tension between presence and absence. Like a talisman, it carries the sender’s intentions and emotions, aiming to bridge the gap between individuals separated by space and time. Letters like these remind us that symbols are never static. They are constantly being reinterpreted, reflecting our evolving cultural and emotional landscapes.