Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1906

This letter was penned by S. van Baak in The Hague, Netherlands, on April 19, 1908. It's made from humble materials: paper and ink, the workaday supports of correspondence. The letter’s significance lies in its directness. Van Baak’s fluid script reveals the writer's personality. The choice of a fountain pen, the ink bleeding slightly into the page. We can almost feel the pressure applied to the nib as each word was carefully formed, evidencing the writer's intention and attention to the recipient. The letter becomes a tangible record of a human connection, and the labor involved in writing by hand. It is a direct artifact of its time. Ultimately, it's these qualities – the material presence of the paper, the intimate script, and the sense of lived history – that elevate this modest letter beyond a mere document. It’s a reminder of the beauty found in everyday life, a value often overlooked in the hierarchy of fine art.