Cavaleristen 1881 - 1883

Curator: Well, this looks like a whispered secret. Faint lines dancing on the page, all suggestion and fleeting impression. Editor: That's an apt description! What we have here is "Cavaleristen" or "Cavalrymen", a pencil drawing by George Hendrik Breitner, dating from 1881 to 1883. It resides at the Rijksmuseum. The sketch is like a fleeting vision, so quick, I almost miss the riders. Curator: Fleeting is right. It's like catching a glimpse of them through a misty morning or a dream. It feels like the memory of a parade rather than the parade itself. What is it about seeing the Dutch Golden Age, but abstracted into near impressionism, that makes one's imagination soar? Editor: Breitner was known for capturing the bustling city life of Amsterdam, especially the working class and the military presence. And he did work en plein air which influenced that style quite a bit. Think about the socio-political climate. The late 19th century in the Netherlands was a time of rapid industrialization and urbanization. The military, represented here by the cavalrymen, were a visible symbol of state power and national identity. The sketch aesthetic and the social context intertwine beautifully. Curator: So, the fleeting nature mirrors a society in flux? Wonderful! I keep wanting to know their story though, or if not that, simply to feel the chill of the air on their horses flanks on that grey long ago day... Editor: It speaks to the changing function of the military and art in a modernizing world. Art moved out of the studio and started showing everyday life as well. Curator: These are the stories held in pencil lines! Such a delicate and suggestive drawing; it stays with you long after you look away. Editor: It indeed reveals how quick sketches hold social weight when properly interrogated, proving that it is not always about the surface but about what is left unsaid as well.