Annotaties 1917

George Hendrik Breitner made this page of annotations, using graphite on paper. It's like a page torn from a sketchbook, filled with the artist’s notes and calculations. I can picture Breitner, bent over this page, pencil in hand, lost in thought. It’s fascinating, isn't it, this glimpse into an artist’s mind, all the scribbles and numbers. They're so ephemeral, like thoughts passing through his head, caught on paper. The pencil strokes are light and quick, with layers of notations. The surface of the page seems almost incidental, a mere support for this flurry of ideas. It makes me think about how art isn't just about the final product, but all the messy, beautiful thinking that goes into it. Breitner's annotations remind us that artists are always problem-solving, experimenting, and questioning – he is in conversation with himself. Just like we all are!