Zij-ingang met houten trap van de Krom Boomssloot 69 in Amsterdam c. 1906

This etching, created by Dutch artist Willem Witsen around 1906, depicts a side entrance with a wooden staircase leading to a building in Amsterdam. The artist’s depiction of the building’s simple architecture and the surrounding canal adds to the quiet, almost melancholic mood of the scene. Witsen’s masterful use of light and shadow creates a sense of depth and texture, emphasizing the everyday life of the city’s residents. This work is an example of Witsen’s interest in depicting the everyday lives of ordinary people in the urban environment. It’s a quiet, observational scene that invites viewers to contemplate the beauty of everyday life in Amsterdam.