Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1905

This Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken was made some time ago, by Maurits van der Valk. It's a postcard, carrying with it a whole story of travel and correspondence. What strikes me is the range of marks: the neat, precise handwriting, the somewhat severe official stamps, the stamp itself, a tiny artwork in its own right. There's a real contrast between the rigid, pre-printed elements and the personal, handwritten message. It’s the kind of tension that makes a piece sing. The script 'Helena Villa' is especially interesting, the letters almost dance across the page. The materiality, the aging of the paper, the fading of the ink... it all speaks of time passing, a shared history, of a conversation between people separated by distance. It reminds me a little of the work of Cy Twombly, in how the layering of marks creates a sense of depth and history. Ultimately, this card is more than just a message; it’s a little piece of art, a fragment of a life.