Gezicht op de Oudeschans in Amsterdam met de Montelbaanstoren c. 1887 - 1920

Willem Witsen made this drawing of the Oudeschans in Amsterdam, with what looks like graphite on paper. The marks are wonderfully provisional, like he’s thinking through the scene as he draws. I love the texture Witsen coaxes from the graphite; it's soft, almost smudged in places, creating this atmospheric haze. Look at how he renders the reflections in the water – just these quick, vertical strokes that suggest movement and light. The tower, sketched with a bit more precision, anchors the composition. See the radiating lines above it? Are they light, or rain, or some kind of ethereal energy emanating from the tower? It’s ambiguous, which I love. This drawing feels immediate, like a fleeting impression captured on paper. It reminds me a bit of James McNeill Whistler’s nocturnes, capturing a specific mood and moment in time. Like much great art, Witsen’s sketch embraces uncertainty, inviting us to fill in the blanks and make our own connections.