Stadsgezicht met een brug c. 1887 - 1891

Willem Witsen created this charcoal drawing, "Cityscape with a Bridge," using charcoal on paper. The composition is dominated by a vertical structure bisecting the page, which gives a sense of architectural monumentality. Witsen’s formal choices are evocative. The use of charcoal allows for a range of tones, from the softest grays to the deepest blacks, creating a hazy atmosphere. The bridge isn't rendered with sharp lines, but rather with broken strokes and smudges. This suggests a city in flux, seen not as a collection of fixed objects, but as a dynamic, ever-changing entity. The ethereal quality of the charcoal lends a transient, dreamlike air to the industrial landscape. Note how Witsen disrupts traditional modes of representation by favoring suggestion over clarity. The drawing offers a semiotic interpretation of urban space, where the bridge becomes a signifier of connection and the blurred cityscape hints at the instability of modern life.