Figuren bij aangemeerde schepen 1887 - 1889

This sketch of figures by moored ships was created by George Hendrik Breitner, using graphite on paper. It's a quick study, the kind an artist might make in a sketchbook, capturing a fleeting moment. The marks are direct and unlabored, with much left unsaid – indeed, almost erased through smudging. You can see the texture of the paper coming through, and the weave of its structure. It is an inexpensive support, readily available, and consistent with the immediacy of the drawing. Breitner was known for his interest in the everyday life of Amsterdam, and this sketch gives a sense of the working harbor, the labor that sustained the city's economy. There's a tremendous amount of work involved, not just in the scene depicted, but in the artist's close looking and rapid notation. A sketch like this demonstrates the artist's skill. By valuing process and material, we can see how much it contributes to the work's meaning, challenging our ideas of high art versus low craft.