Brief aan Jan Veth Possibly 1920 - 1928

This is a letter to Jan Veth, written by Willem Witsen around 1920. Witsen was part of a group of Dutch artists and intellectuals at the end of the 19th century, who saw themselves as world improvers. It is suggestive to look at the personal context and social milieu of the letter, and how it reflects the society of that time. It could be seen as a token of friendship, of a brotherhood between artists. The letter testifies to the support artists offered each other. It also brings forward the intimacy of a handwritten message. Letters can give us an emotional connection to historical figures. What do you make of the handwriting? How does this correspondence inform our understanding of the artist’s life and the artistic community of the time?