Briefkaart aan August Allebé Possibly 1895

This is a postcard to August Allebé by Barend Joseph Stokvis, likely written in 1895. It's made with ink on paper, materials that seem simple, but carry a lot of cultural weight. Consider the qualities of ink: its fluidity, its capacity to stain and mark. Stokvis, a doctor, uses it here with a flourish, in handwriting - a craft of its own - to convey a message, one that, through digitisation, we have access to today. It is a personal message, carefully considered and skillfully written. But it’s also a product of its time, reflecting a specific social class and a culture of correspondence that has largely faded away. The choice of paper too, suggests both availability and purpose. The act of writing, like any form of making, is deeply embedded in social and cultural practices, and this postcard reminds us of the value and the importance of the humble, everyday object.