Annotaties c. 1902

This page of annotations was created by George Hendrik Breitner, though the date of its creation remains unknown. Breitner was a painter of the Amsterdam Impressionist school. He is well known for his images of the city of Amsterdam, particularly its working classes. As a painter committed to capturing the spirit of his age, he was very interested in photography. His photos were not made as artworks in themselves, but rather as studies for his paintings. They helped him capture the fleeting moments of everyday life, which he then translated into paint. These are the artist’s notes, most likely on the photographs that he made around Amsterdam. Understanding the role of photography in Breitner’s painting practice allows us to reconsider the place of photography within the art world. If we wish to understand the world of Breitner better, we might explore the archives of Amsterdam.