Briefkaart aan Elsie Maud Cownie Possibly 1906

Philip Zilcken made this postcard to Elsie Maud Cownie, date unknown, but the stamps and markings really stand out. It's a process of layering – ink from the address, the stamps, and those cancellation marks all on top of each other. It's like a historical collage. Look at the handwriting; it's so elegant and personal, all looping lines and careful spacing. The ink isn't just information; it's a gesture, a record of someone's hand moving across the paper. You can almost feel the rhythm of the writer. The official stamps and markings interrupt the personal message, a layering of public and private. It reminds me of Cy Twombly’s scrawls, but with a bureaucratic twist. Like Twombly, Zilcken lets the marks speak for themselves, embracing imperfection. These aren’t mistakes; they’re part of the story. The postcard becomes a time capsule, a little piece of history buzzing with energy.