Huis 1878

Editor: Here we have Willem Witsen’s "Huis," a pencil drawing from 1878, housed here at the Rijksmuseum. It's a seemingly simple sketch of a house, but the hurried lines give it an air of intimacy, like a fleeting glimpse captured in a personal sketchbook. What do you see in this piece, looking beyond the surface? Curator: I see more than just a house; I see a symbol of domesticity, but also transience. The sketch-like quality, the unfinished nature of the lines, evokes the fleeting nature of memory itself. Consider the etymology of 'huis' - it represents not only a structure but also the inhabitants and their stories. Do you notice how the details are soft, almost blurring into one another? Editor: Yes, the lack of crisp definition gives it a dreamlike quality. Curator: Precisely! This deliberate blurring could represent how memory distorts over time. Witsen might be using the "huis", the home, as a signifier of personal history fading at the edges, which then can suggest displacement. Note the relatively large roof. What could that connote in your opinion? Editor: Perhaps it symbolizes shelter, protection... maybe even the weight of family history pressing down? Curator: An interesting reading! Think of it as the roof of your ancestors, holding onto you from the past, reminding of the weight, yet solace that cultural identity, domestic security can provide. What do you make of the choice of pencil as a medium, then? Editor: The accessibility of pencil – a common tool – it speaks to a sense of immediacy, of wanting to capture the feeling of a moment before it fades. Almost like handwriting. Curator: Exactly, you’re piecing together how he invites the past in front of us, as he makes meaning from what is a seemingly insignificant abode! The pencil's fragility reflects the vulnerability of memories. A poignant exploration of home and memory, wouldn't you say? Editor: Definitely! I hadn't considered how much symbolism could be packed into such a seemingly simple drawing. Thanks for your insights.