Gezicht op de molen Rijn en Lek te Wijk bij Duurstede 1906 - 1907

Willem Witsen made this sketch of a windmill, probably on site, using a soft black crayon. I love how the initial impression is almost abstract. It's just marks, really, but it builds to become a recognizable scene. Look at the density of crayon towards the top of the image. The way that Witsen has layered the marks, back and forth, almost scribbling, to create the heavy sky. This area is full of energy, and I think it contrasts nicely with the lighter touch used to render the base of the mill. The whole image feels like it's on the verge of dissolving back into abstraction. This reminds me of some of Guston’s late works, where simplified forms are rendered with a similar kind of frankness. It shows how powerful a simple medium like crayon can be, and the different affects that can be achieved through mark making.