Studieblad met handen en schapen c. 1884 - 1887

Willem Witsen made this study sheet with hands and sheep using pencil and crayon. The artist is working in a long tradition here, taking a time-honored, academic approach to studying the world. The quickness of the marks suggests that Witsen was primarily interested in capturing fleeting observations. The blue pencil sketches of hands, possibly for another work, show a preliminary attempt to capture the essence of a form with quick, economic lines. In contrast, the charcoal study of the sheep has a sculptural presence. The deep black of the charcoal is smudged and rubbed to create a subtle range of tonal values. As a member of the Amsterdam Impressionism movement, Witsen was concerned with conveying the immediacy of his lived experience, rather than the prolonged refinement of a studio work. These sketches remind us that observation and experimentation are key to art-making, alongside that of fine art and craft.