Landschap met water bij maanlicht 1906 - 1907

Willem Witsen made this landscape with water by moonlight using black chalk. The whole piece is covered with marks, it's a reminder that art is made of gestures, and in this piece, those gestures are clear and honest. The texture is incredible, it looks like you could run your fingers across it, like feeling the soft grain of charcoal on paper. The whole thing vibrates; the dark sky and the shimmering water seem to breathe. But there, in the center, that little boat. Like a tiny moment of hope in all that darkness. It reminds me of some of the charcoal drawings of Seurat, those endless fields of tone, but here, the strokes are rougher, more searching, and somehow more personal. The beauty of art lies in its ability to hold so many feelings, so much uncertainty.