Vis van voren gezien 1870 - 1923

Willem Witsen created this watercolor, "Vis van voren gezien," meaning "Fish Seen From the Front," during a time of shifting perspectives on nature and representation. Witsen, positioned within the late 19th-century art scene, engages with the natural world in a manner that’s both scientifically curious and subtly anthropomorphic. The fish, rendered with a frontal directness, challenges traditional portraiture. Its gaze, almost confrontational, invites viewers to consider the agency and sentience of non-human beings, reflecting broader societal questions about humanity's relationship with the environment. The soft watercolors lend an emotional depth to the subject. This approach diverges from purely objective, scientific illustrations and hints at a deeper, empathetic connection between the artist and his subject. With its almost comical expression, it evokes a sense of whimsy, and invites contemplation of the complexities of life. Witsen's fish is not merely an object of study, but a character, reflecting our own faces back at us.