Brief aan Etha Fles Possibly 1893 - 1897

Curator: We’re in Gallery 213 at the Rijksmuseum, looking at “Brief aan Etha Fles” or "Letter to Etha Fles", a work created by Jan Veth likely between 1893 and 1897. It's an ink drawing on paper. Editor: It strikes me immediately as dense, almost claustrophobic. The tight script fills every available space, giving the impression of urgency, a need to communicate something quickly, maybe even in secret. Curator: It's a personal letter, and it reveals the intricate social networks of artists and intellectuals at the time. Veth, a noted critic and artist himself, wrote this letter to Etha Fles, one of the first female art historians in the Netherlands. Their correspondence reveals their shared artistic values. Editor: It seems a real struggle with visual form as each line is packed so intensely on top of the other, pushing any aesthetic pleasure almost entirely out of consideration; the content must surely be key. I notice, though, there seems a subtle grace even in the tightest corners of these strokes. Curator: Precisely. Although appearing casual, letter writing was a carefully constructed social practice. Through these handwritten correspondences, individuals shaped opinions, sought patronage, and debated the issues of the day, making them hugely important social texts, regardless of aesthetic choices. Editor: I wonder what details stand out for the artist most, since you focus on the historical implications here, that tight formation seems indicative of thoughts competing with and fighting for their moment. I am so used to the clarity of art, these lines here are a refreshing sense of intimacy, peeking at words, unfiltered, in their first rush to light. Curator: It is certainly a peek behind the scenes! Veth's letter provides insight into his views on contemporary art and artists, but also reflects on the personal relationship and mentorship between him and Etha Fles. Editor: It’s captivating to see the act of art being expressed but in such direct and yet intimate means as a handwritten letter; it connects the content to that artistic process even though we are absent to their actual meeting or discussion of it. Curator: Yes. The very act of physically writing the letter, the choice of ink and paper, become performative elements contributing to a broader historical tableau of artistic expression. Editor: That physical connection, and the social and historical echoes they create are what give this piece its power, ultimately for me transcending beyond just an item for academic analysis.