Brief aan Jan Veth Possibly 1908

This is a letter to Jan Veth by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst, likely dashed off with whatever pen and ink were at hand. I can almost hear the scratch of the nib across the page, a direct, unfiltered line of thought made visible. Holst, a contemporary of Breitner, seemed to wrestle with the same themes, but he traded the brush for the pen. What was he thinking as he wrote? Was he hoping for a breakthrough, a moment of shared understanding? The words aren't just information; they're gestures, each stroke bearing the weight of intention and emotion. The artist is trying to find a way to communicate something important. Holst is conversing with another creative mind, probably debating ideas and influencing each other’s work. It's an ongoing exchange that transcends time, with each artist building upon the foundation laid by those who came before, sparking new possibilities and ways of seeing.