Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1907 - 1924

W.J.G. van Meurs dashed off this handwritten letter to Philip Zilcken, probably using a fountain pen with dark ink, on this light-colored piece of stationery. Looking at the handwriting, I imagine Van Meurs hunched over a desk, his brow furrowed in concentration. The act of writing must have been so intimate back then, each word a direct trace of thought and feeling. You can almost feel the pressure he applied to the pen, the way the ink pools in certain spots, giving the letters depth and weight. This isn't just a letter; it's a little drawing. I wonder what he was thinking, what he wanted to convey to Zilcken. Maybe it was a mix of business and personal stuff, a way of staying connected in a world without instant messaging. It makes me think about the long tradition of artists corresponding with one another, sharing ideas, and inspiring each other's work. Letters like this are little time capsules, glimpses into the messy, beautiful, and often mundane reality of being an artist.