Annotaties c. 1915 - 1920

Willem Witsen made this sheet of annotations with pen and ink sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century; it’s all about numbers and calculations. The artist seems to be using the page for working something out, which gives it a wonderful sense of immediacy and process. The texture of the paper, the way the ink bleeds slightly, and the overall ephemerality of the piece really grab me. It’s not about perfect lines or polished surfaces; instead, it's about the raw, unfiltered act of thinking and working. Look at the scribbled-out numbers on the left, a flurry of lines trying to get to an answer! It mirrors the way we often work through ideas, making a mess along the way until something clicks. This reminds me a little of Cy Twombly’s work, in the way that both artists embrace the unfinished and the imperfect. It's like they're showing us the scaffolding beneath the finished building, revealing the effort and the uncertainty that goes into the act of creation. Art isn't just about answers; it's about the questions we ask and the journey we take.