Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 86 c. 1887 - 1888

Editor: Here we have "Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 86," made by Willem Witsen around 1887-1888. It's an ink drawing on paper and it feels almost ghostly, like a faded memory. What kind of story do you think it tells? Curator: Well, considering the period and Witsen’s involvement in Dutch Impressionism, it’s less about telling a story and more about capturing a mood, a fleeting moment. We have to remember the social context: photography was developing rapidly, challenging painting's role in documenting reality. So artists, like Witsen, were turning inward, exploring subjective experiences and the poetics of everyday life, often rejecting academic painting. What’s fascinating here is the very deliberate act of making a ‘rubbing’ or ‘impression’ of the original drawing, abstracting a representation from a representation. Editor: So, this abstraction is intentional? It seems like it questions the very idea of art as representation, doesn’t it? Curator: Exactly! The act of reproduction here comments on authenticity, originality, and the evolving role of art in society. Museums were starting to boom in popularity and public art became part of the cultural landscape, allowing the common person to understand the narrative and cultural context of the country and to develop empathy. The Impressionists were turning to depicting cityscapes, a perspective of everyday common society. Witsen does all of this by questioning his own creative choices as an artist. What impact did this art form have on his viewers? Did this question art itself in their minds? Editor: That really gives me a new way to look at it. The title suddenly feels more important, highlighting the process rather than the subject. I never considered it that way! Curator: It's about understanding art as part of a larger social dialogue, a negotiation between the artist, the artwork, and the public, right? Editor: Right. That definitely changes how I perceive the role of art history too! Thanks for your input!