Annotaties Possibly 1920 - 1924

Curator: Annotaties, potentially created between 1920 and 1924 by Willem Witsen. This piece, residing here at the Rijksmuseum, is rendered through photography on paper. Editor: Well, my initial reaction is that of almost ethereal nothingness. The paleness of the paper makes me wonder if this photograph means to capture absence. Curator: Intriguing observation. It's easy to view the piece as being materially impoverished, yet it would be fruitful to think of it in its sociohistorical context; remember the interwar period’s societal anxieties and Witsen’s potential reflection upon impermanence. Could this not simply be Witsen documenting his material process, but further mirroring collective traumas felt post-war? Editor: And there is also something to be said about its place among photography as a fine art medium. Isn't Witsen, through its making, arguing for photography's artistic merit within a landscape often constrained to other art forms. Curator: Precisely! And consider the materiality itself. The paper, susceptible to decay, holds this ghostly photograph, isn't that an invocation of time? What do we consider a permanent object in light of time’s incessant progression? It appears humble but seems intentionally thought-provoking about its own medium. Editor: Yes, humble perhaps, or perhaps assertive in a quieter fashion, challenging expectations by existing, stark and aged, but not unbeautiful, among grander canvases. Curator: In closing, by delving into Witsen’s “Annotaties,” we may reflect upon an objecthood. Editor: Perhaps, the essence of the matter—an interaction between image and time.