Compositiestudie met kleurnotities c. 1888s

Editor: Looking at Willem Witsen's "Compositiestudie met kleurnotities" from around 1888 at the Rijksmuseum, it's initially a bit perplexing. There's an air of unfinished exploration that I find intriguing. Curator: Intriguing indeed. The immediate effect is one of provisionality, but on closer inspection one begins to see that is a study of potential. Here, Witsen uses ink on paper to capture what appear to be not only architectural notations, but also studies in abstraction. Editor: I'm drawn to the rapid, almost frantic marks. You can almost feel his hand moving across the page, experimenting with forms and placements. How do you think the constraints of ink and paper might have affected his approach? Did the ready availability of such media have implications? Curator: It's compelling how the limitations of his materials actually fuel a unique compositional logic. By accepting those limitations he transcends them. Look closely, for example, and you’ll notice Witsen exploits the graphic potential of ink, how it is dark but capable of producing many grays as well. By exploring tone he establishes contrast and volume through minimal means. Editor: I think it makes it intensely personal somehow, you know? The marks suggest more than meets the eye: a city street or canals envisioned or even remembered...There is a strong sense of place even within what seems a fragment. Curator: Absolutely, the intimist thread connects with the nascent abstraction, both in content and medium, providing an interesting dialogue between form and function in this piece. Ultimately, that dialogue makes the whole work. Editor: I see the dialogue playing out even as he worked. A fascinating glimpse into Witsen's working processes! Curator: Indeed. An exploration of line, space, and even thought itself rendered in elemental fashion through paper and ink. A work pregnant with possibilities.