Brief aan August Allebé 1848 - 1927

This handwritten letter to August Allebé is by E. de Haas, and is an intimate glimpse into personal communication from a time before digital correspondence. The letter fills almost the entire sheet, its body a dense field of looping script. The handwriting presents a unique interplay of form and content; the elegant yet hurried strokes create a texture that invites us to consider the act of writing itself. Note how the contrast of dark ink on the pale ground gives depth and rhythm to the composition. The lines vary in thickness, creating movement and energy. This dynamism mirrors the urgency and intimacy typical of personal correspondence. This letter may appear straightforward, but it destabilizes traditional notions of artistic representation. The focus shifts from pictorial depiction to the direct expression of thought and feeling, blurring the lines between text and image. It reminds us that art is not confined to conventional forms but can be found in the everyday act of communication.