For All You Handwriting Fans Out There, You’re Welcome.

My handwriting has never been lovely. But that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the unique artistry of others’ penmanship. When you read a handwritten note or signature, it simultaneously signifies both presence and absence. It’s a paradox that, for me, makes life seem suspended and timeless. (It’s also why I value so highly the teaching of writing.) A video from the Morgan Library about Pedro Corrêa do Lago’s unique collection of handwritten artifacts from throughout history. The author’s collection includes letters by Lucrezia Borgia, Vincent van Gogh, and Emily Dickinson, annotated sketches by Michelangelo, Jean Cocteau, and Charlie Chaplin, and manuscripts by Giacomo Puccini, Jorge Luis Borges, and Marcel Proust.

Give it a watch. It might just stop your day, if only for a moment.