Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken before 1902

This old briefkaart, or postcard, was sent to Philip Zilcken by Arnold Koning. It's an interesting piece, because it shows the real working process of communication. I mean, look at the script. There's a real physical presence to it. You can see the pressure of the pen on the paper, the way the ink bleeds ever so slightly. It's like a little dance, a record of Koning's hand moving across the card. And then you have the stamps, each one a little graphic mark. They overlap in a way, creating this texture. That stamp on the left, with its circular design, is like a little painting in itself. The smudged ink obscures some of the details, but that only adds to its mystery. The whole card is like a palimpsest. A conversation across time. It reminds me a bit of Cy Twombly, with his scrawled lines and poetic sensibility. It is a good reminder that art is all about exchange, about sharing ideas and experiences. And that sometimes, the simplest things can be the most beautiful.