Studieblad met handen die een stok vasthouden c. 1884 - 1887

Curator: This delicate sketch is entitled "Studieblad met handen die een stok vasthouden," or "Study Sheet with Hands Holding a Stick," by Willem Witsen, dating from about 1884 to 1887. It’s currently held here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My immediate impression is… intimacy. There's a casual, almost voyeuristic quality to these hands grasping the stick. They could be anyone’s hands, practicing a gesture. I can almost feel the grit and strain of holding it. Curator: That's a lovely way to put it. From a formal perspective, the composition is fascinating. Witsen has arranged these hand studies almost haphazardly on the page. The subtle tonal variations of the paper itself adds a depth that belies the simplicity of the medium. Editor: Yes, and that sketchy quality, that “incomplete sketchy” as one might say, lends it an air of spontaneity. I feel as if I'm looking over Witsen's shoulder as he jots down fleeting impressions, a kind of visual note-taking. What kind of a stick might it be, I wonder? Curator: Well, given Witsen’s artistic circle—he was deeply involved with the Tachtigers, a group of Dutch writers and artists focused on aesthetic experience—it's tempting to see the stick as symbolic. Perhaps of artistic creation itself, or maybe a support against societal norms? Editor: Oh, I love that idea. The act of holding, supporting oneself… Yes! Or perhaps more literally, an artist’s stick for painting, though those are generally longer. Still, that act of physical connection to something is tangible in the image. It could also represent a grounding connection to nature, in all its humble forms. I can almost smell the wet earth. Curator: An interesting point. Though this is only conjecture. It does feel more personal, and intuitive than academic or traditional in nature. These hands, in their unassuming gesture, also invite a surprising empathy. It reminds you that Witsen himself used pencil on toned paper here, probably similar hands, similar tools... Editor: Right, it all comes full circle. In fact, maybe the sketch prompts introspection too. For me, it provokes a contemplation of support. Of being held. Of the necessity of connection in our very existence. What will it conjure next, I wonder.