Landschap met een brug en een molen c. 1888 - 1891

Willem Witsen sketched this landscape with a bridge and a mill using black chalk. The use of chalk in this work situates it within a broader conversation about the role of drawing as a fundamental skill, historically valued in both fine art and more practical trades. The quick, gestural strokes show a directness of process. We can see Witsen's hand at work, rapidly capturing the scene's essence, focusing on structural elements. The marks range from light, suggestive lines to areas of dense shading, conveying a sense of depth and atmosphere with remarkable efficiency. This sketch is not just a preliminary study but also a meditation on the industrial landscape. Mills, like the one depicted, were central to the economic engine of the time, providing essential services. Witsen’s choice to focus on the bridge and the mill connects his work to the realities of labor, infrastructure, and technological progress. It reminds us that even the most seemingly straightforward sketches carry deep social and cultural significance.