Rijtuigen c. 1887 - 1897

Editor: We’re looking at “Rijtuigen,” or “Carriages,” a drawing made with pencil and ink by Willem Witsen sometime between 1887 and 1897. It feels very raw, like a quick impression captured on the go. What's your perspective on this piece? Curator: It’s fascinating to consider this within the context of late 19th-century artistic movements. We see the rise of Impressionism and a growing interest in capturing fleeting moments, as you noted, but also a changing social landscape. Consider the rise of industrialization. What role did carriages, like the ones depicted, play in society at the time? Editor: They were still a primary mode of transport, weren’t they? Before automobiles became widespread. So, this is everyday life. Curator: Exactly. Witsen’s choice to sketch this scene, not as a grand formal portrait but as a quick impression in what seems to be a sketchbook, speaks to a shift in artistic priorities. Artists were finding value in documenting the mundane aspects of modern life and experimenting with styles. Who was the art for at the time, and where did it sit within the broader public sphere? Editor: So it's about valuing ordinary life and artistic experimentation? It doesn't seem intended for the high-class patrons of the time. Curator: Precisely. How would you characterize the intended viewer, and how do you think that shapes our understanding of the work itself? We must also recognize how the institutions that showcased it—or did not showcase it—helped or hindered this shifting value and new, ‘sketchbook’ aesthetic. Editor: That makes me think about how even a seemingly simple sketch holds so much social and historical context. It reflects not only Witsen’s personal vision but also larger cultural shifts. Curator: Precisely. I appreciate how this simple sketch has prompted you to recognize the political dimensions of art; the ways social contexts and institutional choices intertwine with aesthetic expression.