Hand met gespreide vingers 1874 - 1923

Curator: This drawing, titled "Hand met gespreide vingers," meaning "Hand with Spread Fingers," is by Willem Witsen and likely dates between 1874 and 1923. It’s currently held at the Rijksmuseum. What springs to mind when you first see it? Editor: There’s something immediately vulnerable about it, like the artist is offering an intimate glimpse into a private thought. The dark shading behind the hand really isolates it, drawing the eye. And the paper, it gives the impression of something salvaged, precious because of the life lived around it. Curator: Precisely. A hand, splayed, palm open… In iconography, an open hand often signifies offering, truth, or even vulnerability. Witsen uses these familiar ideas. Editor: The way the lines of the palm are suggested, not quite fully articulated, gives it a sense of transience. Like trying to grasp smoke, you know? Also, Witsen has used ink on what looks like toned paper, making it a rather quick pen sketch. Curator: Yes, the toned paper gives a certain depth, a historical richness. In some ways, it feels like it’s more than just a study of form, perhaps even a self-portrait. Our hands, they’re so uniquely ours. Witsen inscribes what appears to be a reminder note: ‘imagination,’ which suggests something important to him. I like this idea. It has the texture and character of an entry in a personal sketchbook. Editor: I completely agree. The inclusion of that note underscores the creative process, making it less about clinical observation and more about…well, the poetry of observation. It speaks of contemplation and creation, maybe the spark of an idea forming. There is almost an ancient method acting in tandem here—a contemporary recording device that is ever evolving and morphing. It doesn’t pretend. Curator: Yes, it's that blend of realism and intimacy that really draws me in. It encourages me to ponder on human experiences—both temporal and enduring. Editor: For me, it highlights the very personal act of translating thought into tangible form, which—with enough love—transforms into magic. A simple hand on paper, yes, but infinitely more, somehow.