Heuvellandschap c. 1888 - 1891

Editor: Here we have Willem Witsen's "Heuvellandschap," dating from around 1888 to 1891. It's a pencil drawing currently held at the Rijksmuseum. There's a stark simplicity to it; almost feels unfinished, and certainly brooding, but undeniably powerful. What do you make of it? Curator: Ah, yes, Witsen! This unassuming sketch has a melancholic beauty, doesn't it? Notice how the artist uses dense, layered pencil strokes to create a sense of depth and shadow. I imagine Witsen sitting on location with the wind on his face, a sense of transience captured so immediately on the page. Do you think it leans more to the realistic or impressionistic, or some unique combination thereof? Editor: It’s a blend, surely! The textures are impressionistic, fleeting... but there's realism in how solid the hills appear. I’d guess it's Witsen feeling, more than copying. Curator: Exactly! The suggestive, rather than descriptive, lines create a vivid sense of atmosphere, conveying an emotional truth of the scene that pure realism would miss. For me, the muted tones evoke memories of windswept landscapes I know well...places where the line between earth and sky seems to blur. What sensations does it provoke in you? Editor: A sense of quiet, maybe loneliness. But a comforting kind. Curator: That's it! You've nailed something really important here – the subjective and highly personal way each viewer connects. We find ourselves in the hills too. Editor: It’s surprising how much feeling Witsen captured with just a pencil. Thank you for your personal insights and helping me connect with this landscape drawing on a new emotional level! Curator: My pleasure. Now, go forth and find your own hidden hills within other artworks!