Studieblad met vier figuren c. 1892 - 1897

Curator: This pen drawing is called “Studieblad met vier figuren,” or “Study Sheet with Four Figures” by Willem Witsen. It’s believed to have been created sometime between 1892 and 1897 and currently resides here at the Rijksmuseum. What are your first thoughts? Editor: Sparseness. There's a minimalist energy, but also something quite vulnerable about these sketchy figures on a toned piece of paper. They look like hurried impressions. Curator: Indeed. The social and historical context is that these sorts of drawings came from Witsen's sketchbooks, filled during his involvement with the Dutch impressionist movement and the artistic circles that coalesced around figures like George Breitner. Editor: So, how might we interpret this through the lens of identity and representation? Do these anonymous figures represent a broader segment of the population? The everyman? Curator: It's intriguing to consider these sketches within the broader socio-political landscape. Impressionism itself was a departure from academic painting. Witsen and his contemporaries aimed to capture fleeting moments of contemporary life. It’s like a turn toward capturing raw and immediate experience. Editor: I wonder what Witsen sought to convey with such spare depictions. Is there a critique of social rigidity in presenting individuals so devoid of detail? It makes me think about performativity and how we present ourselves in public. Curator: The choice of toned paper and pen contribute to the sketch's intimacy, something many forget that are actually carefully calibrated, technical choices. This contrasts with the highly polished portraits that would typically capture the elite classes. His imagery offers us a democratized vision of Dutch society, focusing on the everyday. Editor: Thinking about it, this simple page invites us to fill in their stories, maybe even see reflections of ourselves, despite being created in the late 19th century. Curator: Yes, through this study, Witsen documented society with his specific lens, making “Studieblad met vier figuren” both of and beyond its time. Editor: Well, this quick dip into Witsen’s sketchbook offers much for contemplation, it certainly has made me think a little differently.