Lopende man 1875 - 1923

Curator: Welcome. Here we have "Lopende man," or "Running Man," a pencil drawing by Willem Witsen, created sometime between 1875 and 1923. Editor: The immediate impression is starkness, a man rendered in just a few strokes, seemingly adrift in a sea of blank space. It conveys a sense of loneliness, almost alienation. Curator: It's compelling how Witsen utilizes the medium. Observe the confident, yet minimal lines. The profile captures the figure's momentum; the implied movement suggests a moment frozen in time. He manages to suggest texture and weight with so little detail. Editor: I see it more as a commentary on the working class of that era, their ceaseless movement, a metaphor for labor with no end, set against the backdrop of an indifferent society that overlooks their struggle. He isn’t running towards anything; he is simply in motion to survive. Curator: Perhaps. But is it not possible to also see this simply as a formal study in motion and balance? Consider the use of negative space—the vast emptiness around the figure—and how it guides the viewer's eye and emphasizes the economy of Witsen’s line. The aesthetic and the conceptual aren't always diametrically opposed; sometimes they're beautifully entwined, yes? Editor: Even as we acknowledge Witsen’s technical proficiency, we cannot divorce this image from its social context, how the subject, while appearing solitary, inevitably symbolizes larger systemic realities experienced across many lives at the time. The running man signifies the struggles of marginalized populations rendered invisible, and the artwork reflects that tension. Curator: Well, regardless of interpretation, Witsen's concise technique truly resonates and I’ll leave it to the listener to see this at their own pace. Editor: Indeed. Hopefully, this piece encourages you to critically consider whose stories are represented and whose are systematically disregarded.