Studie c. 1884 - 1887

This is a study by Willem Witsen, currently held in the Rijksmuseum. The artwork immediately presents as an exploration of texture and tone, dominated by a muted palette of creams, tans, and faint pinks. An ethereal, almost ghostly rectangular shape occupies the center. The composition evokes the structuralist idea that art consists of underlying structures and systems. It prompts questions about representation and reality: What does it mean to capture space or light? Is it about replicating the visible world, or about expressing a deeper, less tangible essence? The delicate balance between presence and absence reflects the artist's engagement with ideas beyond pure visual representation. Witsen seems less interested in depicting a scene and more focused on the semiotic function of art—how visual elements can signify deeper concepts. His exploration of texture, light, and form invites us to see art not as a mirror but as a space for philosophical inquiry.