Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 23 c. 1882 - 1884

Editor: Here we have Willem Witsen's "Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 23," created sometime between 1882 and 1884. It’s a graphite drawing on paper. Initially, I'm struck by how faint it is, almost like a ghost of a drawing. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a powerful representation of absence. Given Witsen’s social circles – the art world, but also politically active groups – I wonder about the drawing’s ‘missingness.’ Could this deliberate erasure or faintness be a quiet rebellion, a commentary on the visibility, or rather the *invisibility*, of certain groups or ideas within society? Perhaps a commentary on those erased by power structures. Editor: That's a fascinating idea. So, you're thinking that the lack of a clear image is actually the point? Curator: Precisely! In a time of increasing industrialization and rigid social hierarchies, choosing to depict...nothing, or next to nothing, becomes a political statement. What narratives are not being told, whose voices are unheard? Consider too, the reproductive nature of the "Abklatsch," the German word for 'blot' or 'copy'. Is this an intentional reproduction of an already marginalized idea? Editor: That makes me consider who has control over image-making, and why something might intentionally *not* be shown. I was just seeing an unfinished work but thinking about it that way, makes this sketch speak much more loudly. Curator: Absolutely. And think about the material: graphite on paper. Accessible, unassuming materials for a potentially subversive message. It democratizes the means of production. We have to be active in interpreting these absences and uncovering the untold stories hidden within. Editor: I didn't expect to find such a rich and relevant conversation within a faint drawing, that is amazing. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure. Art is always a conversation, we need only listen carefully.