Brief aan Anna Dorothea Dirks Possibly 1893

Curator: Here we have "Brief aan Anna Dorothea Dirks," a letter possibly penned in 1893 by Jacoba Cornelia Jolles-Singels. It's rendered in ink on paper, showcasing her fluid penmanship. Editor: It strikes me as so personal, that hand script… and look, it has faded so the letters create such subtle textural patterns, almost like a gentle wash on the page. Curator: Indeed, the fading ink certainly adds to its delicate character. Given its nature, the letter most likely would have circulated privately amongst close friends and relatives rather than destined for any type of formal exhibition, providing intimate access into fin de siècle social networks in The Netherlands. Editor: What symbols do you notice or themes expressed within it? I am captivated by that flourish on the upper left - it certainly establishes a sense of unique, feminine authorship with that swirling motif, and it makes the opening feel very intimate. Curator: Right! Calligraphy in letter writing carries a distinct symbolic weight – particularly back then. Writing skill was gendered, where certain script formations communicated bourgeois belonging. Editor: Fascinating! I am struck by the way that particular design merges her initial while suggesting motion with its winding curves, thus signifying the personal story of communication through her name's expression on the letterhead. That's compelling considering the themes found through reading Jolles-Singel's literature that concern the fluidity between internal and exterior spaces. Curator: Precisely. And viewing this letter in a contemporary gallery setting compels me to consider how such artifacts gain renewed life, shifting between public and private spheres. Editor: For me, studying the materiality – the way light plays on its fragile surface – draws me into her world with striking emotional depth. A beautiful collision, thank you. Curator: A privilege, truly, to examine those intimate documents and bring these stories forward into modern audiences.