Begroeiing in de tuin van Hotel Bellevue in Buitenzorg

Willem Witsen made this etching, 'Begroeiing in de tuin van Hotel Bellevue in Buitenzorg', with ink on paper. The all-over mark-making creates a sense of atmosphere, or maybe that should be, 'atmosphere'. It's like when you're trying to recall the feeling of a place – it's not about perfect recall, but more about conjuring the emotional truth. Look at the variations in tone; the paper isn't really white, and the ink isn't a dense black, which gives a depth that's quite captivating. And those little dashes and flicks – they make me think about the way we register detail in our vision. It's not uniform or complete, but selective, building up to create an impression. It reminds me a little of James McNeill Whistler’s prints, in how it captures a specific sense of place. Ultimately, what I love is that it leaves space for interpretation. There's no one definitive way to read it, which is really what art should be about, right?