's-Gravenhekje 1910 - 1913

Willem Witsen made this sketch of 's-Gravenhekje with graphite on paper. It’s all in shades of grey, smudgy and atmospheric, giving the scene a somewhat ominous quality. I can imagine him there, pencil in hand, squinting at the scene, trying to capture the essence of the buildings and the movement of the water. There's a real sense of immediacy in the lines, like he's trying to get it all down before the light changes, before the moment is lost. Look at the way he's used the side of the pencil to create those broad, shadowy areas, and then the sharp, crisp lines to define the edges of the buildings. He's not trying to be photorealistic, he's after something more, a feeling, an impression. He wants to connect to the world that he sees around him, and share that with us. That's what drawing is all about, the ongoing conversation about the world.