Gezicht op besneeuwde huizen in Ede c. 1897

Willem Witsen created this etching, ‘View of Snow-Covered Houses in Ede,’ using drypoint. Witsen belonged to a group of Dutch artists known as the Amsterdam Impressionists. Their work often captured quiet, everyday scenes. This image is a landscape of the village of Ede in the Netherlands. The artist’s masterful use of line and tone evokes a stark winter’s day. The scene is softened by the delicate snowflakes scattered across the scene. Witsen was from an upper-class family, a background that gave him financial security and access to artistic circles. However, he was also known for his socialist sympathies and his involvement in progressive social causes. The choice of subject matter then—the humble, snow-covered houses of a rural village— speaks to a broader interest in the lives of ordinary people. These houses, under a blanket of snow, seem to be silently enduring the harshness of winter. They invite a moment of quiet contemplation.