Studie, mogelijk van een gebouw c. 1888s

This study, possibly of a building, was made by Willem Witsen using graphite on paper. The material qualities here – the soft give of the paper, and the smudging quality of the graphite – are essential to the image. Witsen is not so much describing the architecture before him, but rather capturing a fleeting impression of it. The marks are tentative, almost as if he were feeling his way into the subject, and allowing the inherent qualities of the materials to guide his hand. Drawing is one of the most direct art forms. There is very little mediation between the artist’s idea and its execution. But what Witsen coaxes from his chosen media is not just an image but a mood – one that could not have been achieved in another way. Consider how different this would have been if he’d instead approached it with pen and ink, or oils. Ultimately, this study shows us that even the simplest of means can be rich with possibility. The artist, paper, and graphite combine to produce a drawing, the magic is in the hand of the artist.