Twee vrouwen 1893 - 1894

George Hendrik Breitner made this charcoal drawing, Twee Vrouwen, with paper and charcoal. These materials are relatively inexpensive and easily accessible and allowed for the quick and straightforward sketching of everyday scenes. Breitner uses broad, gestural strokes to capture the women's forms, clothing, and surrounding environment. The charcoal’s inherent qualities of soft texture and tonal range are used to create depth and atmosphere, emphasizing the weight and volume of the figures. With such minimal means, the artist evokes a sense of immediacy. The artist used the expressive qualities of charcoal to depict figures from contemporary urban life, capturing a fleeting moment in time. It is a far cry from the preciousness of oil on canvas, or the time-consuming nature of sculpture; this drawing suggests a more democratic approach to art, challenging the distinction between high art and everyday experience.