Stadssilhouet, mogelijk Amsterdam c. 1915 - 1920

Willem Witsen made this drawing of a cityscape, possibly Amsterdam, at an unknown date with graphite on paper. It's all about atmosphere, right? The way the graphite is laid down – it feels less like a representation and more like an evocation. Look at how Witsen captures the buildings with just a few strokes. The texture of the paper shows through, creating a sense of light and air. It's a ghost of a city, really. The marks are tentative, searching almost, as if the city is emerging from a mist, or being remembered through a haze. You could say Witsen is doing a kind of "automatic drawing," letting the city emerge without over-controlling the process. The lightness of touch reminds me of Whistler’s nocturnes. Both artists are interested in capturing a mood more than a detailed depiction. Art isn't always about clarity; sometimes, it's about embracing the ambiguous, the half-seen, the felt.