Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 76 c. 1884 - 1887

Editor: This intriguing work, titled "Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 76," which translates to "Rubbing of the chalk drawing on page 76", was created by Willem Witsen sometime between 1884 and 1887. It’s a drawing on paper, currently housed at the Rijksmuseum. To me, it feels like a faded memory or a dreamscape. What catches your eye about it? Curator: You’re right, it has that ethereal quality! It's more of an echo than a statement, isn't it? Immediately, the texture grabs me – the almost accidental nature of a rubbing. Think about what’s implied in the making… it's the ghost of an original work. One must wonder what the original looked like! Editor: That's a great point! I hadn't considered it as the residue of something else entirely. Curator: Exactly! And being Witsen, deeply involved in Dutch Impressionism, the abstraction is key. It’s not about clarity, but about the *feeling* of a place or memory. What happens when you try to recreate a scene only from a sense memory of it? Do you see the subtle layers, the nuances in the gray? Editor: Now that you mention it, I do notice how the subtle shifts in tone almost feel like landscape features emerging from the mist. Did Witsen often work in this abstract style? Curator: Not always to this extent. His more conventional works show the influence of the Hague School. I would suspect this type of ‘Abklatsch’ was more a private exploration. We are privy to what most were never supposed to see: what lies beyond the mere aesthetic… Do you now perhaps see it as an evocation, an exercise? A hidden face of artistry, both bold and brave in its way? Editor: I completely agree. It's much more powerful now seeing it not just as an abstract work but as a peek into Witsen's experimental process. Thanks for revealing those additional layers. Curator: The pleasure was all mine! Now *I* feel like I've discovered something new!