Studie 1870 - 1923

Willem Witsen created this study, now in the Rijksmuseum, using a medium that captures the immediacy of thought. Notice the vertical lines that dominate the composition, reminiscent of trees or perhaps the rigging of ships. These lines, recurring through art history, evoke a sense of structure but also of confinement, like the bars of a cage. Think of the 'Sturm und Drang' movement, where the forest symbolized both refuge and the overwhelming power of nature. Here, Witsen uses this motif to convey a similar emotional intensity. This verticality echoes the human form reaching upwards, aspiring, yet also bound to the earth. The interplay between the aspiration and limitation is a recurrent theme in art, reflecting our deepest psychological struggles. The visual symbol of trees reminds us of the non-linear progression of symbols, how they resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings across time.