Staande figuur met hoed en stok 1880 - 1882

This sketch by George Hendrik Breitner, now at the Rijksmuseum, presents a figure captured through dynamic, almost fragmented lines. The initial impression is one of rapid execution, a study in capturing form and movement. Breitner's choice of line here is particularly evocative. Notice how the lines intersect and overlap to create a sense of depth and volume, yet simultaneously flatten the image, resisting traditional perspective. The figure emerges from a network of marks, suggesting the influence of early photography on his work, in its ability to freeze a moment in time. The lines serve not just to define the figure, but to explore the very act of seeing and representing. Breitner challenges our perception, prompting us to consider how we construct meaning from incomplete visual information. It invites a continual reinterpretation of form.