Gezicht op huizen en een brug in Amsterdam c. 1915 - 1919

Willem Witsen made this etching, ‘View of houses and a bridge in Amsterdam’, using delicate lines to bring the scene to life. The ink, seemingly diluted, delicately captures the reflections in the water, almost mirroring the structures above. I can imagine Witsen standing there, perhaps on another bridge, carefully observing the light as it dances on the water and hits the brick of the buildings. The subtle variations in tone and texture could evoke the dampness in the air. He might have been thinking about how to translate the complexity of this urban landscape into a language of etched lines. The whole piece reminds me of Whistler’s etchings of Venice – that same moodiness and attention to atmosphere. These artists were in dialogue, grappling with similar questions about how to represent modern life and capture a fleeting moment. I see Witsen's hand in this, his breath on the plate, maybe even the ghost of a smile. Painting, etching—it’s all just talking to each other, across time.