Gezicht op de Montelbaanstoren c. 1887

Curator: This is Willem Witsen’s, "View of the Montelbaanstoren," circa 1887. A pencil drawing, currently residing here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: You know, my first thought? A scribble that accidentally turned into a rather imposing tower. It feels incredibly immediate and honest, like a thought caught on paper. Curator: Immediate, certainly. Witsen belonged to a circle of Dutch impressionists deeply concerned with capturing the fleeting moment. His choice to depict this recognizable Amsterdam landmark is intriguing, though. It ties the "moment" to something historically grounded. Editor: Grounded, yes, but look how he treats the tower. It’s almost melting, dissolving into the city itself. This isn't a monument to permanence; it's about the impression of seeing it. More shadow than substance. It's what he chose to emphasize, not document! It's a very personal read on an established icon. Curator: It is precisely that subjectivity that marks the work as emblematic of its period. The rise of the individual’s perspective coincided with the decline of traditional academic styles. Editor: Do you think viewers back then saw this and said, "Oh! That's not proper art!"? I bet there were quite a few debates. It has that kind of raw edge that ruffles feathers. And look at those sketchy annotations! A glimpse right into the artist's notebook. Almost as though it isn’t quite "ready", inviting speculation and second-guessing, ours as well as his. Curator: There certainly would have been discourse around the “unfinished” nature and perceived lack of detail. Though one could see these touches as a democratization of the artistic process. The image's accessibility is partly what made Impressionism a successful challenge to existing conventions, opening up a conversation on who can see art and where, in more ways than one. Editor: I see what you mean! So even the 'messiness' played a part! What a quietly revolutionary drawing. A little rebellious whisper caught in pencil lines. Thanks! Curator: Indeed. And thanks to you, for reminding us not just to look, but to truly see.