Gezicht over de Oude Schans op de Montelbaanstoren 1870 - 1923

Willem Witsen made this pencil drawing of the Montelbaan Tower in Amsterdam. The image is striking for what it leaves out, as much as for what it includes. It's as if Witsen has sketched the tower from memory, or through a fog. We know that Witsen was part of a circle of Dutch impressionist artists who were fascinated by the effects of light and atmosphere. But this drawing also speaks to a sense of urban fragmentation and alienation that was common among artists and writers in the late 19th century. Witsen would have been aware of the rapid changes that Amsterdam was undergoing at this time, as the city expanded and industrialized. The Montelbaan Tower, originally built in the 16th century as part of the city's defenses, would have stood as a reminder of a bygone era. To understand drawings like these, it helps to look at photographs, maps, and other documents that can tell us more about the social and urban history of Amsterdam at this time.