Brief aan August Allebé Possibly 1911 - 1914

This letter to August Allebé was written in 1911 by J.H. Wellbeloved, probably with a fountain pen. Just look at the gentle pressure that makes up each line of text and the flourishes of the signature at the bottom. What I love about this piece is the physical quality of the language itself. It's not just about the information it conveys; it's about the texture of the paper, the ink's slight bleed, and the almost performative act of handwriting. You can see the author pausing, considering, and then committing words to the page. Imagine the rhythm of the hand moving across the paper, the slight variations in pressure and speed, and the sheer intimacy of the process. It reminds me that art, in all its forms, is ultimately about communication and connection. It is the same approach that Van Gogh took in his letters to his brother Theo, where the act of writing became a form of art in itself, a means of exploring the depths of human emotion and experience. Art is a conversation across time, full of ambiguities.