Prentbriefkaart aan Willem Bogtman Possibly 1925

Curator: This is a postcard by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst, a handwritten note addressed to Willem Bogtman, possibly from 1925. It is a drawing rendered in ink on paper. Editor: At first glance, the careful calligraphy feels almost like a miniature, meditative artwork itself. The ink shimmers faintly, which contrasts with the rough, unfinished feeling to the handwriting itself. Curator: The materiality here is fascinating. Think of the labour involved: the crafting of the paper, the production of the ink, Holst's painstaking inscription. Each step reveals the human hand. These small objects really were social networks. Editor: I see a network more symbolic. Postal systems carried cultural and personal meaning, turning correspondence into public rituals, while names and addresses tie this note to a specific individual within a known place. Note the stamp and cancellation marks. Each mark on the note becomes another layer of narrative. Curator: Absolutely. These markings indicate process and context. It’s also worth remembering that paper and ink have intrinsic economic value. This card, and its message, participate in exchange at many levels. Also consider that it is an artist, a well-known one at that, using this format, raising interesting questions around production and artistic skill, not high or low art, simply made or assembled things. Editor: Looking at the Dutch script again, the way certain phrases or abbreviations are employed, tells me things about their relationship. What was being referenced by this missive is not obvious. The P.S. implies to me something added or recalled that feels both crucial and tangential. Curator: I agree, these textual, tangible traces provide only fragmented knowledge, triggering, more than settling, historical narrative. Editor: Studying this card allows me a fleeting glimpse into lives that have long passed. What were they feeling? Who were the senders and recipients? These echoes reverberate still today. Curator: By looking at the work from the perspectives of materials and network, hopefully, we can have a small handle in that. Editor: A thought.