Huzaren staande naast hun paarden langs de kant van de weg c. 1867 - 1923

George Hendrik Breitner made this watercolor of Dutch hussars and their horses sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. It is an image of the military, but also something more. The hussars were light cavalrymen known for their flamboyant uniforms and horsemanship, they were a potent symbol of national pride. Breitner was fascinated by the urban life of Amsterdam, and this painting seems to show them pausing on the roadside, perhaps on the edge of the city. The muted tones and loose brushwork create a sense of everyday life, which is at odds with the formal dress. The men are not on parade, there is no obvious narrative. Breitner, who had been conscripted into the army himself, was part of a generation of artists in the Netherlands who were keen to paint modern life, and he was particularly interested in the lives of working people. He would have been aware of artistic debates about the role of art in society, and would have been keen to engage with these ideas in his own work. To understand Breitner, and the choices he made in creating his art, we need to look closely at the social and institutional history of Dutch art at the time.