Onderbeen van een vrouw c. 1882 - 1884

Willem Witsen made this pencil drawing, ‘Onderbeen van een vrouw,’ in the Netherlands, though we do not know exactly when. It shows a woman's lower leg, in dark stocking and shoe, cropped off just above the knee. How might we understand this curious fragment? By the late 19th century, figure drawing had a long history as an academic exercise, usually completed in a studio classroom. But, at the same time, we see its established conventions being challenged by artists involved in new forms of reportage. Think of the quick sketches made by courtroom artists or those sent by newspapers to the scene of a breaking story. Perhaps Witsen made this drawing as a preparatory study for a larger composition or as a candid record of daily life. To investigate further, one could consult the artist's notebooks or sketchbooks, if available, or consider the cultural and institutional factors at play in the art world of the time. Art, after all, exists within a social and historical context.