Bomen in winterlandschap 1870 - 1923

Editor: This is “Trees in Winter Landscape” by Willem Witsen, dating between 1870 and 1923, currently residing in the Rijksmuseum. It’s a drawing, mainly in pencil, but I find it interesting in how light and airy it feels, even though it depicts a barren, cold scene. What’s your interpretation? Curator: It whispers, doesn’t it? A hushed landscape catching a fleeting moment. Look closely. Witsen is tracing a personal memory here, almost as if sketching directly from his soul rather than just his eye. The light pencil work evokes a profound stillness, almost reverential, amidst the starkness of winter. See the figures in the background? Editor: Yes, they're so small! Curator: Tiny, ghosts. I think they almost make the bleakness of winter comforting - we are not alone here. The quick strokes suggest this isn’t meant to be a grand statement but more like a captured breath on a cold day. Imagine Witsen, sketchbook in hand, stopping momentarily to capture this vision before the light changes or the feeling fades. The medium lends itself to that spontaneity. What does that evoke for you? Editor: A sense of intimacy, definitely. Like we're glimpsing a private moment, more like a memory or feeling made visual, rather than a realistic depiction of trees. Curator: Precisely! I see it as less about trees, and more about the soul seeing trees. It really makes you think what beauty or comfort can be found even when the world appears most desolate. Editor: This has been so helpful, I'll certainly view Witsen’s art with new eyes from now on. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! Hopefully the drawing inspired others to get to know nature better.