Dorpssmid (Bram) voor het raam 1906 - 1907

Willem Witsen captured this image of Dorpssmid (Bram) voor het raam using pencil in what looks like a sketchbook. The drawing has this amazing sense of immediacy, like Witsen quickly captured a fleeting moment. The texture is built up through layers of graphite, with areas of dense shading creating a real sense of depth. Look at the way he’s used these quick, hatched lines to define the form of the blacksmith and the objects around him. You can almost feel the weight and density of the scene, the physicality of the blacksmith at work. See how the concentrated marks around the figure’s head contrast with the lighter, more open strokes in the background? It’s like the artist is pulling us into the intensity of the blacksmith's labor. This reminds me of drawings by Käthe Kollwitz, who had a similar commitment to portraying working-class subjects with empathy and directness. Ultimately, Witsen's sketch invites us to appreciate the beauty and complexity of everyday life, captured with a simple pencil.