Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken before 1896

This carte postale to Philip Zilcken, from Stéphane Mallarmé, is a curious object made through the convergence of industrial manufacturing and the intimate gesture of handwriting. Consider the material of this card, likely cheap paper stock produced en masse, a direct product of industrialization and mass communication. The printed text and guidelines contrast sharply with Mallarmé's handwritten message, a personal touch amidst the standardization of postal service. The stamps and postmarks further layer the card with the evidence of its journey through the postal system, each mark a trace of human and mechanical labor. The making of such a seemingly simple object involves a whole network of people, from paper mill workers to postal employees. In this context, Mallarmé's handwritten words take on added significance, asserting individuality within a system designed for mass distribution. Ultimately, this postcard challenges us to consider the relationship between the personal and the industrial, the handmade and the mass-produced.