Brief aan Cornelis Gerardus 't Hooft Possibly 1902 - 1913

Jan Veth penned this letter to Cornelis Gerardus 't Hooft in 1902, a seemingly simple artifact born from paper and ink. Yet, its creation speaks volumes about labor, class, and social dynamics. Consider the paper itself: likely mass-produced, a symbol of burgeoning industrialization democratizing writing materials. The ink, too, hints at production processes far removed from individual craftsmanship. Veth's handwriting, elegant yet hurried, reflects the social expectation of refined script, a skill acquired through education and indicative of his social standing. The very act of writing and sending a letter involves layers of labor, from the factory workers producing paper and ink to the postal workers facilitating its delivery. It's a physical manifestation of social connections and the flow of information within a specific historical context. By focusing on these material aspects, we move beyond the letter's content and consider it as a product of its time. It challenges the conventional separation of art and craft, inviting us to recognize the artistry inherent in everyday objects and the social forces that shape their creation.