Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 7 Possibly 1906 - 1909

Willem Witsen made this offset of a chalk drawing, sometime between 1880 and 1923, on a page in a sketchbook. The term "Abklatsch" refers to a method of transferring an image – in this case, likely a chalk drawing – onto another surface. Think of it like a manual printing process, similar to how one might transfer an image using tracing paper, or even a rudimentary form of printmaking. What intrigues me is that this technique captures a moment of transience, of transferring something from one state to another. The blurred image we see on the page, retaining the texture of the chalk used for the original drawing, adds an ethereal quality to the artwork. The physical act of transferring the drawing bears witness to a quiet, subtle gesture – a gesture that seems to want to capture a feeling or a scene. It reminds us that even in the age of mechanical reproduction, the hand's touch remains vital in imbuing art with meaning.