Wolkenlucht 1882 - 1923

Willem Witsen drew this sketch of the sky, Wolkenlucht, with a pencil in a sketchbook. I can see how the artist observed the weather, quickly trying to capture the light, the clouds, and the feeling of being in the landscape, and then later I imagine him in the studio, thinking about it again and trying to find a way to represent it. The marks are tentative, searching, as if the artist is trying to figure out what he sees. I love the energy of the pencil marks. I wonder if Witsen was influenced by other landscape painters of his time, like the Impressionists, who were also interested in capturing fleeting moments of light and atmosphere. It makes me think about how artists are always in conversation with each other, inspiring and challenging one another to see the world in new ways. And this drawing lets me see how it felt to stand where he stood.