Brief aan Anna Dorothea Dirks Possibly 1914

This letter by Johan Huizinga, whose date is unknown, is written in ink on paper. The thing about handwriting, right, is that it’s a record of the writer's hand in motion. It's like a dance across the page. I love the pale ink here, almost like a whisper, and the way the loops and curves of the letters create these rhythmic patterns. Look at how the lines bunch together and then spread apart, creating a feeling of intimacy. It's as if we're leaning in to overhear a secret conversation. The slight variations in pressure and speed give the handwriting a real sense of personality. I think you can see the author's mood in his script. This makes me think of Cy Twombly, and how his scribbles and gestures can seem both chaotic and carefully considered. I guess what I am trying to say is that handwriting can be just as expressive and powerful as any painting.