Vrouwelijk naakt op een bedrand c. 1887 - 1892

Willem Witsen created this charcoal drawing, “Vrouwelijk naakt op een bedrand”, or “Female nude on the edge of a bed” sometime between 1880 and 1923. Witsen was part of a group of Dutch artists known as the Amsterdam Impressionists, who sought to capture everyday life through a modern lens. At first glance, the loose strokes and grayscale render a private moment. The gaze is inward; a woman sits naked on her bed. The intimate scene however raises questions about the male gaze and the representation of women in art during this period. Rather than idealizing the female form, Witsen presents a raw and unembellished depiction. The artist captures a moment of vulnerability and introspection and invites us to consider the emotional and psychological state of the woman. "Art should not only be beautiful," Witsen once said, "but also true." In this tension between beauty and truth, this piece reflects the complexities of identity, representation, and the human condition.