Getallenrijen c. 1887 - 1920

Willem Witsen created "Getallenrijen," or "Number Rows" in English, using pen and ink on paper. At first glance, one is struck by the seemingly chaotic arrangement of symbols and notations, a dense network of lines and forms that suggest a complex system of coded communication. The stark contrast of the dark ink against the off-white paper heightens the visual intensity, drawing the viewer into its enigmatic depths. This work appears to operate outside conventional representational strategies, engaging instead with abstract forms that mimic linguistic structures. Witsen destabilizes traditional notions of legibility, presenting a semiotic system that resists immediate decoding. The repetition of numbers and symbols, along with the grid-like composition, evoke a sense of mathematical precision, yet the overall effect is one of ambiguity. It challenges fixed meanings and invites ongoing interpretation. The artwork's formal qualities—its intricate linework and structured, yet chaotic, composition—suggest a larger cultural discourse around the limits of language and the potential for abstraction. It reminds us that art serves as a site of endless questioning and re-evaluation, a space where meaning is not fixed but constantly negotiated.