Gezicht op de brug Lekkeresluis te Amsterdam c. 1903 - 1904

Willem Witsen made this drawing of the Lekkeresluis bridge in Amsterdam with a soft, powdery charcoal. It's all about capturing a mood, a fleeting impression. Look at how Witsen layers the charcoal, building up tone with these smudgy marks. The way the charcoal dust clings to the paper, it’s almost like he's painting with air. The reflections on the water are just scribbles but somehow manage to feel like reflections. There's a lightness of touch that keeps the image alive, like he's trying to pin down something that's always moving. The marks are not precious but rather intuitive. I'm reminded a little of Whistler, another artist who was interested in capturing the essence of a scene with minimal means. But Witsen has his own voice, a quieter, more intimate sensibility. What I love about art like this is how it reminds us that seeing is an active process. It's not just about recording what's there, but about feeling it, and finding a way to share that feeling with others.