Gezicht op Waterloo Bridge te Londen 1888 - 1891

Willem Witsen made this sketch of Waterloo Bridge in London using graphite on paper. It is an interesting use of relatively simple materials to capture the essence of a very complex industrial creation. The marks are quick, capturing the monumentality of the bridge but also its inherent connection to the Thames below. Waterloo Bridge was a symbol of London's industrial prowess, designed for mass production of both transport and trade. The sketch gives us a glimpse of how artists used drawing as a tool for observation, documentation, and reflection on the changing urban landscape. The choice of graphite is interesting; it’s a material connected to industrial production of pencils, but also to the long tradition of drawing. The way Witsen uses it, he bridges those two histories. The quick and ephemeral nature of the sketch contrasts with the immense labor and engineering involved in constructing the actual bridge. It invites us to reflect on the relationship between human effort, industrial progress, and the artistic interpretation of our built environment, blurring the boundaries between craft and fine art.