Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1914

This is a letter written in 1914 by Alphonse Stengelin, probably with a fountain pen and ink. Look at the way the text fills the page. The hand is loose and flowing, but still very controlled, the letters practically dance. The ink itself has a tactile quality, you can almost feel the way it would have bled slightly into the paper, creating a halo around each stroke. Notice the density of the writing, how it varies across the page. In the top right, the address is written with a lighter touch, the lines thinner and more delicate. Then in the lower left, the script becomes denser, as if the weight of the words is pressing down on the page. See the loop of the 'd' in 'des'– it's practically a knot! This isn’t just about conveying information, it's about the materiality of language, the physical act of writing as a form of expression. For me it recalls Cy Twombly whose painterly scrawls across the canvas celebrate the joy and potential of the written word. The letter reminds us that art isn't just about perfect forms or clear messages, it's about embracing the messy, unpredictable process of creation.