Voeten 1874 - 1923

Willem Witsen made this drawing, Voeten, using brown chalk around 1893. As a painter, etcher, and photographer in the Netherlands, he captured images of everyday life in Amsterdam and London. Here, the close-up view and the seemingly mundane subject of feet draw our attention. This was a period when academic art institutions favored history painting and portraiture. But Witsen, like many artists of his time, looked for beauty in the commonplace. The informality of the drawing might critique those traditional artistic norms. Witsen was part of the art movement known as the Amsterdam Impressionism, a Dutch group of artists influenced by French Impressionism. They often depicted urban life and landscapes, portraying the changing modern world. Art historians examine artist's biographies, historical records, and cultural contexts to understand their work. By exploring these resources, we can learn much more about the social and institutional influences that shaped Witsen's artistic choices.