Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1918

This is a postcard to Philip Zilcken by N.J. Singels from Utrecht, sent in 1918, and it’s making me think about how handwriting can be a kind of drawing. I’m really struck by the inscription—the pale green stamp with those embossed squiggles, and the round, dark postmark with its constellation of stars. It’s like a tiny abstract painting! And then there's the handwriting itself, a delicate script that leans slightly to the right. Each letter, each word, feels like a carefully considered gesture. You can almost imagine Singels pausing, pen in hand, thinking about the person on the other end, shaping each character with intention. I bet he felt a connection to the history of mark-making—that very human impulse to leave a trace, to communicate across time and space. It’s funny to think how something as simple as a postcard can be part of that ongoing conversation.