's-Gravenhekje 1910 - 1913

Willem Witsen made this drawing of 's-Gravenhekje with graphite on paper. It's like a visual note, a quick impression. Look at how Witsen builds up the forms with these incredibly delicate lines. They're not just outlines; they’re like a web holding the scene together. The texture is really interesting, a mix of smudged areas and sharp, defined strokes. See how the dark areas of the sky are rendered with a furious energy, almost scribbled, and then compare that to the more careful lines defining the architecture? It makes me think about process, about how much we reveal, or conceal, in a work. It’s not trying to be a slick, finished product, but about capturing a moment, an idea. Witsen reminds me of Whistler in this, both of them hinting at something fleeting, a memory. And that's what art does, right? It opens up a space where seeing and feeling become one.