Studie, mogelijk de weerspiegeling van een brug in het water 1870 - 1923

Editor: This is "Studie, mogelijk de weerspiegeling van een brug in het water" – Study, possibly the reflection of a bridge in the water— by Willem Witsen, probably made sometime between 1870 and 1923. It's a pencil drawing on paper, currently residing here at the Rijksmuseum. The image is so sparse; I’m wondering, what exactly is it that you see in this piece? Curator: You know, that's the beauty of Witsen's impressionistic sketches, isn’t it? It invites our imagination to complete what's left unsaid. It is as though a thought, partially expressed, asks you to take on its completion. What I notice immediately is that ethereal quality of the lines that create what might be an atmospheric effect, as though the pencil barely kisses the surface of the paper, like a memory surfacing, or a fleeting glance caught at dawn, still carrying a sleepy fuzziness. What I find delightful is how that ambiguity opens doors to a myriad of readings. Don't you find the softness lends itself to an exploration of mood rather than detailed form? Editor: Yes, that ethereal quality is striking. I hadn’t really connected it to the potential atmosphere but you’re right, there’s so much room for interpretation precisely because of the soft strokes. Almost like you're peeking at a scene through a gauzy curtain. Curator: Exactly! That’s Witsen for you. It almost feels like a secret glimpse, doesn’t it? Think about how often he explored waterways. Now tell me, does it shift anything for you knowing that it is in the collection of the Rijksmuseum? Editor: Knowing it's at the Rijksmuseum elevates its importance, in a way. It solidifies it as a work worth preserving and contemplating. Though I guess I knew it had worth to someone from the fact it's in a museum! It also makes me consider its historical context, the conversations it might have been part of back then. Curator: Beautifully said. And for me, it serves as a gentle reminder to look deeper, not just at the artwork but at myself and how my own impressions evolve with a new perspective, almost as ephemeral as a pencil line. Editor: I completely agree. It’s been fascinating diving into something so simple on the surface yet so rich with possibility. Thanks for opening my eyes to this!