Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1907 - 1911

Editor: This piece is titled "Brief aan Philip Zilcken," possibly created between 1907 and 1911, attributed to Vittorio Pica. It appears to be an ink drawing on paper, featuring an addressed envelope. What I immediately notice is the delicate script and the faded postage stamp. It feels so fragile and intimate. What strikes you most about it? Curator: Oh, you’ve nailed it already! The fragility, the intimacy – that’s precisely the key. For me, it’s the ghost of a connection, isn't it? An ephemeral message sent across time and space. I wonder about Philip Zilcken. Was he as moved by this letter as we are by the artifact itself now? Consider the materiality – ink bleeds, paper fades, yet the intention, the very act of communication, somehow endures. I am especially drawn to the stamps – each one a miniature artwork! And what about the flourish of the handwriting – does it whisper something of Pica's personality? Editor: That’s fascinating! I hadn't considered the handwriting as revealing something about Pica himself, and now I'm seeing little stories in the cancellations and the stamp itself, imagining its journey across continents. Do you think the message of the letter itself would shed more light? Curator: Perhaps, but its absence almost amplifies the mystery. What secrets might it hold? Though, to be honest, I prefer the whispers. Sometimes the untold story is the most captivating, wouldn't you agree? This humble envelope, though simple, manages to encapsulate so many questions. It's lovely! Editor: Absolutely! I started seeing this as a document but now I feel it breathes and evokes the life and relationship of two artists. Thanks for this. Curator: And thank you for noticing its heart, in amongst the ink!