Gezicht op het Damrak te Amsterdam met een bouwput c. 1904 - 1905

Willem Witsen captured this view of Damrak in Amsterdam with what looks like graphite on paper. I imagine him standing there, maybe a little cold, quickly trying to capture the light, the buildings, the general feeling of the place. You know, when you're drawing outside, it's not just about what you see, but how you feel, right? The way the light hits the buildings, the activity on the street—all of that goes into the drawing. The way he's used the pencil, it's not about perfect lines or details. It's more about capturing the essence, the atmosphere of the place. There's a freedom to it, like he's not trying to be precise, but more interested in the feeling of being there, in that moment. He's part of a conversation, you know, with other artists, other drawings, other ways of seeing. And that's what makes it exciting. It opens up a space for us to imagine, to feel, to connect.