Krom Boomssloot c. 1907 - 1908

Willem Witsen made this etching of Krom Boomssloot in Amsterdam. Witsen belonged to a group of Dutch artists known as the Amsterdam Impressionists. They captured the changing city, its waterways and working-class neighborhoods, during a time of rapid urbanization and social change. This etching provides a window into the everyday lives of people living along the canals. The buildings, while rendered in careful detail, seem to lean and huddle together, possibly reflecting the close quarters and communal life of the inhabitants. Witsen came from a privileged background but chose to depict scenes from different social strata. In his art, we see his grappling with themes of identity and place. "An artist is only a magnifying glass," Witsen once said, "not a producer." He observed the world around him and reflected it through his work. In the end, this etching encourages us to reflect on the historical forces that shape urban life and the intimate stories contained within the architecture of a city.