Studie, mogelijk van een landschap c. 1884 - 1887

This landscape study was made by Willem Witsen, likely in the late 19th or early 20th century, using graphite on paper. The immediacy of the medium is striking; you can almost feel the artist’s hand moving rapidly across the page. The graphite, in its dry application, allows for quick tonal variations, ideal for capturing fleeting impressions of light and form. Notice how Witsen uses the side of the graphite to create broad areas of shadow, and sharp points to define the figure and foliage. This interplay between control and spontaneity gives the sketch a lively energy, a moment captured in time. Consider the physical act of drawing - the artist holding the graphite, pressing it against the paper, building up the image with layers of marks. The work is not just a representation of a landscape, but an index of a physical performance, a dance between artist, material, and the world around them. The simplicity of the materials contrasts beautifully with the complexity of the landscape depicted.