Twee paardenkarren c. 1887 - 1897

Willem Witsen quickly rendered two horse-drawn carriages using graphite on paper. The immediacy of the material and the hasty drawing technique are notable. The marks are tentative, exploring the essence of form and function over descriptive details. The graphite appears dry, allowing it to glide across the paper, almost as quickly as the horse carriages themselves. The thinness of the marks suggests speed and temporality, a passing moment captured on paper, and the artist doesn't linger to laboriously define the subjects. Horse-drawn carriages have a strong connection to labor, transport, and class. Once commonplace, they were essential for moving goods and people. Here, the artist’s fleeting sketch invites us to think about the socio-economic backdrop of the scene, and how the processes of labor are not just depicted but also reflected in the artwork’s making. Witsen’s work blurs traditional lines between fine art and everyday life. It makes us think about the value of quick studies, and the labor-intensive context that horse-drawn carriages served.