Studie 1870 - 1923

This is a pencil drawing called 'Studie', by Willem Witsen, created at an unknown date. Witsen, a Dutchman, who lived between 1860 and 1923, was interested in depicting his surroundings. We can see the bare outlines of a landscape, maybe a building, and some rather odd marks, that on closer inspection appear to be the rigging of sailing boats. Witsen was from an upper-class background. It was only through the financial support of his family that he was able to dedicate himself to art. He was part of the Amsterdam Impressionism movement, a group of artists interested in representing the everyday life around them. As with many artists who are supported financially, he had the freedom to experiment, and this drawing shows something of that experimentation. If you would like to find out more, you could consult Witsen’s diaries which are available to view in the public domain, or research the cultural history of the Netherlands during his lifetime.