Gezicht op het Groenendaal te Rotterdam, gezien vanaf de Nieuwehaven c. 1897 - 1898

Willem Witsen made this sketch of the Groenendaal neighborhood in Rotterdam, seen from the Nieuwehaven, using graphite on paper. The Groenendaal area, like many urban spaces, was shaped by the dynamics of social class and economic development. In this sketch, Witsen’s focus on the architecture and layout of the neighborhood invites us to consider how urban planning reflects and reinforces social hierarchies. Rotterdam in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was a rapidly growing port city, and its landscape was increasingly defined by industrialization and urbanization. The Groenendaal would have been affected by these forces, and Witsen’s sketch offers a glimpse into the lived environment of its inhabitants. To gain a fuller understanding, we might turn to historical maps, census records, and archival photographs to reconstruct the social fabric of the Groenendaal during Witsen's time. Through careful research, we can uncover the complex interplay between art, society, and the built environment.