Gebouw c. 1910 - 1915

Willem Witsen made this understated drawing, Gebouw, with pencil on paper. It’s a real meditation on seeing. Look at how Witsen barely suggests the building’s form, a whispered presence on the page. The lines are so delicate; it's like he's tracing a memory rather than depicting a solid structure. The texture of the paper becomes crucial here – its slight graininess interacts with the pencil marks, adding to the ephemeral quality. The archway to the left, it's not just an architectural detail; it’s a portal to somewhere else, maybe a place of quiet contemplation? This makes me think of Agnes Martin, the way she used grids and subtle variations to create spaces for inward reflection. In art, the slightest gesture can open up a whole world.