Architectuurstudie c. 1887 - 1888

Willem Witsen made this architectural study, with graphite on paper. The immediacy of graphite on paper invites us to consider the artist's process. The surface reveals a direct engagement between hand, tool, and material. The graphite, yielding and responsive, captures the artist's fleeting thoughts, and the way in which he explores the rudiments of architecture. Graphite is a humble material, one that can yield striking results. Witsen skillfully translates the texture, weight and form of an architectural motif. The layered lines reveal the building's bare bones and the artist's labor. The study reflects the skilled traditions of architectural rendering. It is part of a broader history of creative practices, including craft and fine arts, linked to the social context of labor, politics, and consumption. The importance of materials, making, and context in understanding the full meaning of architectural drawing blurs the traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.