Jonge vrouw met takkenbos c. 1884 - 1887

Curator: We are looking at a pencil drawing titled “Jonge vrouw met takkenbos,” or "Young Woman with Bundle of Branches,” created by Willem Witsen between 1884 and 1887. It’s currently held here at the Rijksmuseum. What's your immediate reaction? Editor: Stark, almost austere. The limited palette really focuses my attention on the subject's labor. It feels… weighted. Curator: Indeed. Witsen’s use of pencil creates a study in contrasts. Note how the delicate lines form the woman’s face and clothing in juxtaposition with the bolder, almost aggressive strokes depicting the bundle of branches. I’d argue it reveals something about the burden placed on women during that period. Editor: That’s interesting. I read it more literally. The contrast could highlight the difference between manufactured goods—her clothing—and raw materials, those branches she likely collected. Consider her physical exertion: bending, gathering, carrying. What would they be used for? Heating, perhaps? It suggests a cycle of consumption. Curator: Precisely! It hints at a woman's place in society—as worker and provider. But Witsen’s impressionistic style blurs the line between portrait and social commentary. It encourages viewers to think critically about the identity of the subject, about women’s rights. Editor: The artistic process here feels important too. He chose pencil. It is readily available, relatively inexpensive. Was he limited by cost, or did he see a deeper connection to the labor through this readily accessible medium? Is he intentionally aligning himself with the woman's position? Curator: That's astute. The choice of material could also reflect the immediacy he sought to capture, rejecting the conventions of formal portraiture in favour of capturing an honest, fleeting moment. It's about subverting expectation. Editor: This brings up broader considerations for the piece as an example of Realism that is both raw and economical, revealing a kind of directness. I think of the labor of creation meeting the labor of the portrayed. Curator: This simple drawing provides such layered perspectives! Editor: It truly does—highlighting production, identity and historical context with its medium and message.