Gezicht op het Rokin in Amsterdam ter hoogte van de Langebrugsteeg 1910

This sketch of the Rokin in Amsterdam, rendered by George Hendrik Breitner, presents us with a study of architectural forms. The bare bones of the buildings sketched here are reminiscent of similar structures found across Europe. The scaffolding-like structures atop these buildings have appeared throughout history to enable the flow of goods, their presence is evocative of the ceaseless movement of trade and cultural exchange. Similar apparatuses can be found depicted in medieval cityscapes and even in ancient Roman port scenes. The architectural structures in this sketch evoke a sense of both stability and transience; the artist draws our eye to the bare structures of the buildings and the scaffolding. There is a tension in the stability of the buildings and the knowledge that they are temporal. This cyclical image of construction and deconstruction resonates with the continuous renewal of human endeavor, and leaves us contemplating the transient nature of material existence.