Standing Female Nude c. 1887 - 1892

This is Willem Witsen's "Standing Female Nude," a pencil drawing. The seemingly casual sketch of a nude figure sprawled across the page offers a study in contrasts, and the work's composition and use of line work together to create a sense of space. The figure is rendered with a mix of delicate, almost hesitant lines and bold, decisive strokes. The artist uses a semiotic system of signs to interpret the visual components: notice how he captures the contours of the body with economical strokes, suggesting volume and weight without the need for detailed shading. The figure’s relationship to the surrounding space introduces a play between presence and absence, with the negative space around the figure becoming as important as the figure itself. The work destabilizes established meanings, values, or categories by not being a ‘finished’ work but rather a study. It challenges fixed meanings and engages with new ways of thinking about space and perception.