Figuurstudies c. 1888 - 1891

Willem Witsen made this sketch, called 'Figure Studies' with a pencil on paper, we think sometime around the turn of the 20th century. It now resides here at the Rijksmuseum. It's interesting to consider these rudimentary sketches in their art historical context. Witsen lived and worked in the Netherlands at a time when the established art academies still emphasized rigorous life drawing, the painstaking study of anatomy and the human form. Yet, many artists were beginning to embrace a more impressionistic, spontaneous approach. This sketch might have been a preparatory exercise for a more finished painting. But we can also view it as a kind of rebellion against academic strictures. Its very incompleteness, its apparent lack of finish, suggests a new artistic freedom. By studying the artist's letters, the exhibition catalogs of the time, and the critical reviews, we can begin to understand the social and institutional forces that shaped Witsen's work. Through this historical lens, even a seemingly simple sketch reveals a fascinating story about the changing role of art in society.