Gezicht op de Montelbaanstoren in Amsterdam c. 1913 - 1914

Willem Witsen made this etching of the Montelbaanstoren in Amsterdam at an unknown date. It's all in monochrome, various shades of sepia brown, and I'm imagining Witsen, bent over a copper plate, scratching away with his etching needle, building up this intricate scene line by line. He must have been standing on one of the bridges, or maybe he was in a boat himself, soaking up the quietness of the water, the solid brick of the tower. And the way the light hits the water, it’s as if the tower has a secret twin living just beneath the surface. I love the little figure rowing down the canal – are they on their way to work, or just enjoying the quiet morning? Witsen captures a sense of time standing still. This reminds me of the etchings of Whistler and the way he captured the fog on the Thames. It's all about atmosphere, and about how we see and feel a place. Painting is like having a conversation with other artists across time, borrowing ideas, responding, and adding your own voice.