Gondels onder een brug in Venetië 1914

Willem Witsen made this pencil drawing of gondolas in Venice in the late 19th or early 20th century. Venice was, by this time, a major tourist destination, and the gondola was perhaps the most iconic symbol of the city. Witsen's drawing is not a straightforward celebration of Venice, however. The sketch-like quality and unusual composition suggest a more complex relationship with the city. The gondolas appear cut off, viewed from under a bridge, as if Witsen is trying to find a new, less conventional way of representing Venice, away from the marketing of tourism. To better understand Witsen's motives, we can look at his personal letters and other writings, as well as the art criticism of the period. These resources can help us to understand the changing role of Venice as a site of both artistic inspiration and commercial exploitation.