Gondel in het Canal Grande te Venetië 1914

Willem Witsen made this pencil drawing, "Gondel in het Canal Grande te Venetië", on paper, probably on the spot. The marks feel fresh, unlabored – capturing a moment, a feeling, a place. You know, like when you're sketching and trying to grab the essence before it floats away? What strikes me is how he uses line. There's a looseness, an openness to suggestion rather than definition. See how the buildings and gondolas are constructed with these quick, almost scribbled lines? It's like he's mapping the visual field, letting the pencil wander and discover the form. The reflections in the water are particularly nice. The density of marks mimics the way light fractures and dances on the surface. It reminds me a bit of Whistler's etchings of Venice – that same interest in atmosphere and fleeting impressions. But Witsen's drawing feels more immediate, more like a personal record. It’s a great reminder that art is just as much about the process as it is about the finished product. It embraces imperfection, ambiguity.