Studie en annotaties 1893

This work is a sketch in graphite and ink, by George Hendrik Breitner, and it resides here at the Rijksmuseum. It offers a glimpse into the artist's process and the way the urban environment became the subject of artistic investigation in late 19th-century Holland. Breitner was a key figure in the Amsterdam Impressionism movement. The quick, almost stenographic lines, suggest an artist rapidly capturing a fleeting moment. But what was Breitner capturing? We see a rudimentary drawing of a head, with some numerical annotations. The drawing's starkness reflects the changing social landscape of Amsterdam at the time, a city undergoing rapid urbanization and industrialization. Breitner was interested in portraying the lives of ordinary people, and particularly those on the margins of society. He wanted to represent modern life and the new reality of European cities. Historical context is key here. By looking at Breitner's notebooks, letters, and other archival materials, we can better understand his artistic intentions, and the social and cultural values that shaped his vision. The meaning of the artwork is rooted in these contexts.