Geknielde vrouw onder een boom c. 1886

Willem Witsen made this drawing of a kneeling woman beneath a tree with a pencil at an unknown date. This simple sketch offers a glimpse into the social and artistic currents of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the Netherlands. Witsen was part of a group of Dutch artists who embraced a form of realism that focused on the everyday lives of ordinary people. In an era marked by significant social change and growing awareness of class divisions, artists started to turn their attention to the lives of those who were often overlooked. Consider how Witsen's choice to depict a woman in a moment of quiet reflection might reflect a broader interest in the experiences of women. To fully appreciate Witsen's art, one must delve into the archives, letters, and exhibition catalogs of his time. By examining the institutional context in which art was created and displayed, we can begin to understand its complex relationship to the society that produced it.