Brief aan Jan Veth Possibly 1912 - 1915

This is a letter, ‘Brief aan Jan Veth,’ by Herman Gorter, a Dutch poet. It's probably made with ink on paper. The writing has a lovely rhythm; it’s almost calligraphic, with the loops and tails of the letters creating a kind of dance across the page. I think of Cy Twombly, another artist who was interested in the intersection of writing and art. Here, the writing itself is the art. Look at the way the lines lean and tilt, as if Gorter was thinking aloud as he wrote, letting his thoughts spill onto the page. It makes me think about the act of writing as a process of discovery, each word leading to the next, a kind of improvised performance. The slight imperfections and variations in pressure show us something of the artist's state of mind, and the energy with which the letter was composed. It's a reminder that art is not just about the finished product, but also about the journey of making.