Buitentrap 1870 - 1923

Editor: This is "Buitentrap," a drawing made with pencil and ink by Willem Witsen, sometime between 1870 and 1923. It's currently held at the Rijksmuseum. It reminds me of quick architectural sketches, sort of like a personal study. What do you make of it? Curator: I see an artist grappling with perspective, but more than that, I see a document of a specific lived experience. The stairs themselves aren't just architectural; they imply access, ascent, maybe even social mobility. What kind of person would have used these stairs? Where did they lead, and who was kept out? Editor: That's interesting. I was just thinking about the composition. You're thinking more about the people who would've interacted with this structure. Curator: Exactly! And what can that tell us about power structures? Witsen belonged to a wealthy family. Did he ever consider that the simple act of ascending stairs wasn’t available to all? How does his privileged position inform this sketch? Does he capture the everyday lives of ordinary people, or simply reduce them to architectural studies, neglecting their humanity? Editor: I never would've considered that angle. I mean, I guess I hadn't thought about who exactly *used* the stairs. It really reframes the image for me. Curator: And consider the artistic style, Realism. How does the context change it, given that it represents an intention to accurately portray the lives of people while he potentially missed so many social cues around him? I see in Witsen both a man of his time, with all his privilege, and an artist attempting to capture the nuances of the society around him, a struggle that surely deserves further contemplation. Editor: It's fascinating to think about how a simple sketch can be so rich with social meaning once you start digging! Thank you for the thoughtful explanation! Curator: My pleasure! Every line holds potential narratives waiting to be uncovered, even in something as seemingly simple as a flight of stairs.