Twee staande mannen 1906 - 1907

This drawing by Willem Witsen features two men, sketched with rapid, almost ghostly strokes. Look at the repetition of the two figures, their forms merging. The motif of the "doppleganger" has haunted art and literature for centuries. From ancient myths of shadow selves to 19th-century tales of doubles, it symbolizes the fractured human psyche. Think of the myth of Narcissus, who wasted away staring at his own reflection in the water, a metaphor for man's obsession with himself, that consumes him from the inside. The mirroring here suggests internal conflict. The men, rather than being distinct, appear as reflections or shadows of one another, caught in a perpetual echo. This duality, present across cultures, speaks to the psychological concept of the divided self, where our conscious and unconscious desires clash, creating inner turmoil. The stark simplicity of the drawing amplifies the psychological weight, urging us to confront the hidden aspects of our nature.