Brief aan Philip Zilcken en Henriette Wilhelmina van Baak before 1906

This letter to Philip Zilcken and Henriette Wilhelmina van Baak was composed in May 1906 by Suzanne Desprès. It’s a thank you note, swiftly handwritten in French, probably with a fountain pen and vibrant ink. I imagine Suzanne, caught in a moment of gratitude for some beautiful tulips. The cursive dances across the page, full of loops and swoops. The blue ink feels so alive against the stark white paper. Each stroke varies in pressure and thickness, revealing the rhythm and speed of her hand. The letters lean into each other as if in conversation. I’m so drawn to the materiality of it all. You can see this kind of attention in other artists too, from Cy Twombly’s scribbled paintings to Joan Mitchell’s gestural abstractions, a conversation across decades and styles. It reminds me that painting isn’t just about images, it’s about the energy and intention poured into each mark. Desprès' letter is a reminder that beauty can be found in the simplest of gestures.