Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 3 c. 1884 - 1887

This is Willem Witsen's "Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 3." Although undated, it was made sometime between 1860 and 1923 using chalk. Witsen was part of the Amsterdam Impressionism movement, a group that embraced the everyday life of the city.   Here, we see the impression of a chalk drawing, a technique that inherently suggests the passage of time, the ephemeral nature of images. Who are these figures? They appear spectral, as though called forth from memory. Witsen seems to be asking, can a moment be truly captured, or is it always fading, always a ghost of its original self? The lack of distinct details invites viewers to project their own histories and emotions onto the work, engaging with the themes of memory and identity. Witsen pushes beyond traditional portraiture. He offers instead a meditation on how we perceive and remember, turning a simple sketch into a profound exploration of time, loss, and the self.