Landschap met bomen c. 1882 - 1884

Curator: This pencil drawing, "Landschap met bomen," or "Landscape with Trees," was created by Willem Witsen around 1882 to 1884 and is currently housed at the Rijksmuseum. It offers us a glimpse into Witsen’s study of nature. What strikes you about it initially? Editor: There’s an undeniable sense of immediacy; a sketch rapidly rendered, capturing a fleeting moment. I’m drawn to the gestural quality and the way the trees become these looming figures, perhaps speaking to human vulnerability within a dominating landscape. Curator: I see that immediacy too, but I read it more in relation to Witsen's artistic process. Given the time, we can consider the materiality. A readily accessible and affordable medium like pencil and paper becomes central to quickly studying light and form en plein air. Witsen, a key figure of the Amsterdam Impressionism movement, utilized drawing for constant practice. It’s the fundamental labor of an artist honing their craft. Editor: Certainly, this artwork as an artifact speaks to artistic production in a specific period; a time when artists were reacting against academic painting through more direct engagements with their environments. Think about urbanization, industrialization, colonialism—and consider the response, where artists re-examined their own role in depicting and reflecting upon landscape and its relationship to people. It is about a gaze as a construction. Curator: I agree, though I’d also look at the materiality through the lens of resource availability within the artistic milieu. What kinds of paper was Witsen likely using, and who were the manufacturers supplying such materials to artists in Amsterdam? How did access to resources influence his artistic choices and the overall landscape of artistic production at that time? Editor: Expanding on that, one must ask *which* landscapes get attention. Why this particular arrangement of trees, this angle, and at this period? Who benefits from the valorization of nature? Curator: Absolutely vital questions. For me, though, I'm fascinated by the very physical act of the artist – the repetitive stroke of the pencil, the subtle variations in pressure, which result in areas of dense shading alongside the delicacy of the sky. Editor: Yes! It makes me wonder: did this drawing provide Witsen solace during turbulent times, or was his work intrinsically linked to and driven by social unrest and resistance? Curator: This perspective underscores the complex and sometimes conflicting forces shaping artistic creation. Thanks for that view. Editor: Indeed, it underscores how engaging with artwork is never an individual journey. It’s always a point of intersectionality.