Bijgebouw in de natuur op Java c. 1921

Willem Witsen made this print of a small structure in Java, using delicate lines to capture a sense of place. The building is humble, like a shed, rendered with a sensitivity that elevates it. I can imagine Witsen carefully etching each line, balancing detail with the overall composition. Look how the roofline slopes and the shadows play across the walls, capturing the particular light of Java. It reminds me of a drawing – maybe one of Guston’s, or a faded Beuys. It’s interesting how the image emerges with such care, how the texture of the foliage contrasts with the starkness of the building, and then fades into the background. Witsen shares something of his vision, offering us a fleeting glimpse of a moment in time, and extending the language of painting and drawing as an art of feeling.