George Hendrik Breitner en anderen, een portefeuille bekijkend, mogelijk tijdens een kunstbeschouwing bij Arti et Amicitiae 1900 - 1923

This photograph captures George Hendrik Breitner and others reviewing a portfolio, possibly during an art viewing at Arti et Amicitiae. The anonymous photographer situates us in a late 19th or early 20th-century Amsterdam, a time of significant social and artistic change. The image reflects the gendered nature of the art world at the time: a group of men are formally dressed, gathered around a table laden with drinks, deeply engaged in assessing art. The absence of women speaks volumes about the exclusivity and patriarchal structures of artistic institutions during this period. While the photograph appears straightforward, it subtly questions who has the authority to judge and shape artistic taste. It makes me consider the emotional stakes for an artist whose work is under scrutiny, and the power dynamics inherent in such evaluations. This image thus serves as a mirror, reflecting both the artistic practices and the societal norms that shaped the art world, and the emotional realities of its participants.