Aantekening uit archief Philip Zilcken before 1898

This is a manuscript page of asemic writing by Jan Toorop, made with ink on paper. The visual experience is dominated by the density of the script and the contrast between the dark ink and the light paper. The script's rhythmic variation in line weight and direction suggests emotional intensity. Toorop destabilizes traditional writing by presenting a script that defies conventional reading, challenging the viewer's perception of language. The use of expressive lines relates to symbolism, exploring the potential for abstraction to evoke moods. The manuscript form references historical documents, yet the illegibility suggests the inaccessibility of definitive meaning. The deliberate act of creating illegible text functions as a comment on language's limitations, suggesting a move beyond conventional modes of communication. It prompts a re-evaluation of the act of reading, shifting focus from content to the aesthetic qualities of line and form, and how these elements convey subjective experience.