Brief aan Mien Cambier van Nooten Possibly 1939

This is a letter by Dick Ket to Mien Cambier van Nooten, written in 1939. Ket, who lived from 1902 to 1940, was a Dutch realist painter known for his still lifes and self-portraits. Crippled by illness from a young age, Ket's life and work were deeply affected by isolation and physical suffering. His identity as an invalid shaped his artistic perspective, leading him to focus on the intimate details of his immediate surroundings. The letter provides a personal glimpse into Ket's thoughts and feelings. The choice of language, tone, and subject matter reflect the complex relationship between the artist and his confidante. "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak," one passage reads, perhaps reflecting Ket's own limitations. Letters like this offer a window into the artist's inner world, revealing the emotional and personal dimensions that informed his art, while also shaping the way societal issues were perceived in his time.