Molen Rijn en Lek te Wijk bij Duurstede 1906 - 1907

Willem Witsen made this drawing, probably on location, with charcoal or a similar sketching medium. It’s all about the bare essentials, right? I love the implied architecture of the windmill – just a few lines, but they give you everything you need. Look at those marks! So economical! The artist has used the bare minimum of strokes to convey maximum information. I can almost feel the wind pushing against the sails, like a phantom limb, or when you think you can feel something that isn't there! It reminds me that sometimes, less really is more. It’s not about filling every space, but about the dialogue between what is there and what is left unsaid. It is a conversation between artists across time, each inspiring and challenging the other. That is what makes art so alive, so resonant.