Gezicht op de Montelbaanstoren te Amsterdam met schepen c. 1910 - 1915

Willem Witsen made this sketch of the Montelbaanstoren in Amsterdam with graphite on paper. Considered a Dutch Impressionist, Witsen focuses on the urban landscape here, but through a soft, almost hazy lens. The Montelbaanstoren itself is steeped in Amsterdam’s history, originally built in 1516 as part of the city’s defensive wall. By Witsen’s time, it had become a recognizable landmark. Witsen was part of a circle of artists and intellectuals who were interested in capturing the atmosphere of everyday life in the Netherlands. His choice of subject matter, an old defensive tower, could be seen as a comment on the changing face of Amsterdam as it transformed from a trading port into a modern city. To understand this piece better, we need to consider the socio-political climate of the Netherlands at the time, researching archives, letters, and exhibition reviews to give a clearer understanding of Witsen’s world and work. This artwork prompts questions about the role of historical structures in modernizing cities, issues that art historians like myself continue to explore.