Abklatsch van een krijttekening c. 1897 - 1910

Willem Witsen made this chalk drawing called "Abklatsch" at an unknown date. It’s like a ghost of an image, right? The smudgy, soft texture gives it a dreamlike quality. When I look at the middle of the piece, I get a sense of depth. It's almost like a foggy landscape, or maybe even a memory fading at the edges. I love how the color palette is limited to just a few muted tones, which adds to the ethereal feeling. You can really see the hand of the artist in this work. It’s like he’s playing with the materials, exploring what chalk can do when you push it around on the page. Witsen reminds me a little of Whistler, who also knew how to make something out of almost nothing, using a limited palette and a light touch. In both cases, the image becomes a vehicle for something more. It’s not just about what you see, but how it makes you feel.