Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 81 c. 1884 - 1887

Willem Witsen made this chalk drawing, titled *Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 81*, in the Netherlands at the turn of the 20th century. Its ghostly appearance gives the impression of an apparition, but it also speaks to the development of new technologies of mechanical reproduction. This image is likely a transfer of another drawing, a technique that would have interested artists who, at this time, found themselves caught between the traditional art world and new modes of mechanical production. The Dutch art scene in which Witsen operated was one in which artists were looking for new ways of representing the world around them. Photography, for example, was on the rise. To understand the changing role of art, it's important to look at the institutional and social conditions that shaped artistic production. By consulting archives, letters, and period publications, we can better appreciate how artists responded to a rapidly changing world. Art history is not just about the artwork itself, but about the world that makes it possible.