Briefkaart aan Willem Bogtman before 1925

Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst made this postcard to Willem Bogtman out of paper, ink, and a stamp; just imagine his hand carefully writing, choosing the right words, crafting a brief message. I wonder what the occasion was? Holst appears to have been a very thoughtful guy, and I am sure Bogtman felt touched receiving it. Look at the handwriting. See how the letters lean and loop, and how the pressure of the pen leaves a darker trace in some places and not in others. It gives us a feel for the artist's touch, a sense of his presence in this everyday correspondence. I can sense the mood, a kind of humble connection. The stamp is like a miniature artwork itself. It's like a small, public declaration that says, "I am part of this world, and I want to connect with someone in it." Artists today are still sending messages to each other with their work, across time, inspiring each other, even if they don't realize it.