Brief aan jonkheer Hendrik Teding van Berkhout (1879-1969) Possibly 1931

This letter, written by Harmen Meurs in Amsterdam in 1931, reveals the hidden language of correspondence—a script laden with symbols of connection and detachment. Consider the act of writing itself, the forming of each letter a gesture reminiscent of ancient scribes, evoking the weight of tradition. Words, like the recurring motif of the hand across cultures, serve as carriers of intention and memory. Note how in antiquity, hands were employed as symbols of power and benediction, but here, the hand holding the pen becomes a symbol of intellectual exchange. We must delve into the psychoanalytic understanding of these symbols. Is there a desire to bridge a gap, to transcend the limitations of physical presence? The emotional subtext emerges from these subconscious associations, and engages viewers with a quiet power that operates on a deeper, intuitive level. Observe how this motif persists, evolves, and resurfaces across time, bearing witness to the ongoing dialogue between past and present.