Kwitantie voor Frans Buffa en Zonen Possibly 1869

This is a receipt by August Allebé for Frans Buffa en Zonen, dated May 12, 1869. It’s presented as an intricate play of lines and negative space, revealing how everyday documents can transcend their utilitarian function to become objects of visual interest. The formal structure is dictated by the handwritten text, which flows across the page in a dance of varying weights and densities. Note the contrast between the flowing script and the rigid grid of the paper, a subtle tension that highlights the imposition of human expression upon a pre-existing order. The looping ascenders and descenders of the letters create a rhythm, punctuated by the firm strokes of underlining. This arrangement creates a delicate balance between order and fluidity, rationality and expression. Through these formal qualities, Allebé transforms a mundane transaction into an aesthetic experience, challenging our perception and encouraging us to reconsider the boundary between art and the everyday.