Gezicht op boerderijen te Ede 1893 - 1897

Willem Witsen made this drawing of farmhouses in Ede using graphite on paper. The quick strokes suggest it was done on-site, capturing the essence of the rural scene. The texture of the paper provides a soft, warm background that contrasts with the stark black lines. It shows the basic forms and structures of the farm buildings. The lines are not precise, but the sketch gives a sense of the material and construction of the buildings. You can almost feel the rough timber and the way the light catches the walls. In the late 19th and early 20th century, artists often sketched landscapes to understand and appreciate the natural world and the labor involved in agriculture. Witsen’s sketch isn’t just a picture; it reflects an engagement with the land and the people who worked it. Appreciating the materials and techniques used by artists helps us understand how they saw and valued the world around them.