Brief aan Jan Veth 1875 - 1925

This letter to Jan Veth was penned in 1921 by the Dutch artist Isaac Israels. It offers us a glimpse into the social networks that sustained artistic life in the Netherlands during the early 20th century. Israels, writing from The Hague, engages in the time-honored practice of artists corresponding about their work and lives. This particular missive, with its handwritten script and personal tone, points to the close relationships that formed the bedrock of the art world. The letter itself becomes a kind of social document. To understand its full significance, we could delve into the archives of artists' correspondence, gallery records, and exhibition catalogues. These resources help us to situate Israels and Veth within their artistic milieu and to appreciate the social conditions that shaped their creative output. In so doing, the meaning of this unassuming letter opens up, revealing the dense web of connections that underpins the history of art.