Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 5 c. 1884 - 1887

Here we see a chalk drawing by Willem Witsen. It's difficult to decipher, but we can make out the faint impression of what appears to be a landscape scene. The motif of the landscape carries a deep symbolic resonance throughout art history. The pastoral landscape often embodies notions of peace and harmony. One can consider its presence in Poussin’s classical landscapes, where nature is a stage for human drama, reflecting a desire for order and control over the natural world. But in its essence, a hazy depiction such as this holds a more primordial power. The use of chalk lends itself to a sense of fleeting memory, like a dream fading upon waking. This ephemeral quality evokes a longing for something just out of reach, tapping into the collective memory of a past that is both familiar and unattainable. It is as though the artist captured a phantom. These symbols remind us that motifs evolve, adapt, and are reborn across time.