Handschrift over de diensttijd 1941 - 1942

This page of German handwriting about military service in the Netherlands is in the Rijksmuseum, its maker unknown. Imagine this anonymous artist, bent over this page, carefully inscribing the stark white letters onto the dark page. There’s something incredibly tender about the controlled precision of the line and the flourish of the exclamation points, and the quiet act of chronicling the dates and places of military service: “From 1 Oct 1941 - 31 March 1942...in Leiden!” Then, “From 1 April 1942 - 16 August 1942 - in Apeldoorn!” The handwriting conveys a sense of formality and order. Looking at this piece makes me think of the work of other artists who use text in their work, like Cy Twombly or Hanne Darboven. Like them, this unknown artist shows how handwriting can be a form of mark-making, transforming the act of writing into a powerful form of personal expression.