Stadsgezicht, mogelijk de Westertoegang en het Centraal Station te Amsterdam 1893 - 1897

This is Willem Witsen's sketch of a cityscape, possibly of Amsterdam's Westertoegang and Central Station, created with a soft drawing material. The initial impression is one of sparseness and suggestion. Thin, dark lines sketch out architectural forms against a pale background, creating a skeletal cityscape. The composition is deliberately incomplete, with lines fading and forms dissolving into the background, which gives it an ethereal and transient feel. Witsen’s sketch plays with the semiotics of urban space. The sketch challenges the traditional representation of cityscapes. Instead of presenting a clear, defined image, Witsen gives us a collection of lines and shapes that require the viewer to actively participate in constructing the image. The interplay between presence and absence, detail and void, invites us to reflect on the fragmented and ever-changing nature of urban experience. The emphasis on line and form directs our attention to the underlying structures that shape our perception and understanding of the world around us.