Rivierlandschap met een molen Possibly 1906 - 1909

Willem Witsen made this drawing, Rivierlandschap met een molen, with graphite on paper. This looks like a spontaneous study from life. You can see the artist quickly trying to capture the scene in front of him. I feel as though I am there with him and the landscape, observing him as he is observing it. Look at how Witsen renders the landscape using only line. The marks seem to appear and disappear, creating an atmospheric effect. Even with such a minimal approach, he captures the essential qualities of the landscape: the flatness of the land, the quiet stillness of the water. Drawing is so intimate, so human. And when I look at this work, I imagine the countless other artists who have sat in front of a landscape with their sketchbooks, trying to capture the essence of a place with just a few lines. It’s like we’re all part of a big conversation through time.