Bomen in de sneeuw c. 1870 - 1923

Willem Witsen made this watercolor of trees in the snow sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Dutch painting of this period often presented humble, everyday scenes to express the national character. This contrasted with the grand historical and mythological paintings that were favored by the academies, and it challenged traditional hierarchies of subject matter. Witsen belonged to a group of artists known as the Amsterdam Impressionists, who were interested in capturing fleeting moments of light and atmosphere. Their work emphasized personal experience and emotion, but it also reflected broader changes in Dutch society. Industrialization and urbanization were transforming the landscape and creating new social classes. Artists like Witsen were drawn to the quiet beauty of the countryside, and the rise of landscape art can be interpreted as a reaction against the increasing pace and alienation of modern life. Art historians rely on archival sources, exhibition catalogs, and other historical documents to reconstruct the artistic and social context in which artworks were made.