Annotaties 1914

Willem Witsen made this work, Annotaties, with pencil on paper. Imagine the artist, maybe in a rush or deep in thought, quickly jotting down notes or calculations. The graphite on the paper is light and almost ephemeral. A single diagonal line cuts through the numerical data, like a quick decisive stroke, maybe a correction or a cancellation? I wonder what was on Witsen's mind as he made this work. Was it a record of something seen, a plan for something to be made, or just doodling while lost in thought? The piece shares a quality with Cy Twombly's work; it embraces the beauty of imperfection and the poetry of the everyday. Ultimately, this piece reminds us that art isn't always about grand statements or polished surfaces, but also about the small, intimate moments of creation that connect artists across time. Each mark carries an intention, a feeling, and a trace of the artist's hand.