Batavia, huizen aan de kali c. 1921

"Batavia, huizen aan de kali" (c. 1921) is an etching by Dutch artist Willem Witsen. The artwork, housed in the Rijksmuseum, depicts a serene canal scene in Batavia (now Jakarta, Indonesia). The composition features a row of traditional houses lining the waterway, with a figure washing clothes in a boat. Witsen, known for his atmospheric and detailed depictions of everyday life, captured the quiet beauty of the scene with precise lines and subtle tonal variations. The etching's warm brown tones and evocative details evoke a sense of tranquility and the passage of time.