Twee studies van een paardenkar c. 1888 - 1891

Editor: Here we have Willem Witsen’s pencil drawing, “Twee studies van een paardenkar,” which translates to “Two Studies of a Horse Cart,” created around 1888-1891. There’s something wonderfully raw and immediate about it, like a fleeting thought captured on paper. It feels so free. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: It whispers to me of fleeting moments, a dance between observation and feeling. Notice how the lines, though simple, seem to pulse with a restless energy. Witsen isn’t just showing us a horse cart; he's offering us a glimpse into his mind’s eye. It's the essence of the thing, the memory of movement itself, wouldn’t you say? Like a dream fading at dawn... Do you get a sense of that fragility too? Editor: Definitely. It’s almost as if he was trying to catch something before it disappeared. The roughness of the lines, they feel so vital and energetic. It reminds me a bit of Impressionist painters capturing light and atmosphere. But instead of light, Witsen seems to be chasing after…motion? Curator: Precisely! The immediacy of capturing life on the go. But consider this, the drawing itself could represent a quiet defiance. Photography was maturing at this time. Witsen’s work reminds us that even in the face of technological advancement, the artist's subjective perception offers something a lens never can: a soul. Do you think it says something about embracing imperfection? Editor: That's such an interesting point! I hadn't thought of it that way. Yes, absolutely. The sketchiness, the almost unfinished quality, that becomes the point. It is more intimate and imperfect in that human act, right? Curator: Indeed. It becomes a poignant meditation on time, perception, and the enduring power of a simple pencil stroke. Editor: Well, looking at it now, I see so much more than just a sketch of a horse cart. It is about capturing movement. Curator: See? We both traveled a great distance, just by letting a little old drawing do its talking.