Begroeiing in de tuin van Hotel Bellevue in Buitenzorg c. 1921

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?