Brief aan Abraham Bredius

This is a letter to Abraham Bredius by Jan Veth written around 1903, and now held in the Rijksmuseum. Bredius was an influential art critic and historian, and letters like this one provide insight into the art world of the time. Visual codes in handwritten letters reveal personal relationships in a way that printed text does not. The informality of the script, with its hasty corrections and personal tone, suggest a close relationship between Veth and Bredius. The Netherlands at the turn of the century was a place with many artistic and intellectual movements, all struggling to establish themselves within the established academic institutions. Bredius was one of the key figures to help shape these institutions. Art historians use letters like this to trace the social networks that helped to determine the success or failure of artists and the development of particular styles. The significance of art is always contingent on such social and institutional contexts.