Brief aan M.C. Lebret Possibly 1891 - 1896

This is a letter written in 1891 by Frederik Adama van Scheltema. The most striking symbol is, of course, the act of writing itself. The hand, with its pen, becomes an instrument, a medium through which ideas and emotions are channeled from the subconscious to the physical world. The handwritten form is reminiscent of ancient scripts. Consider Egyptian hieroglyphs, or medieval illuminated manuscripts, where the act of writing was elevated to an art form, imbued with sacred or scholarly significance. In those contexts, the handwritten word was not merely a means of communication, but a powerful symbol of knowledge, authority, and cultural continuity. The emotional weight of this letter, and the act of writing itself, is a powerful force engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. We feel the personal connection between writer and receiver. This non-linear progression resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings in different historical contexts.