Figuurstudies c. 1895 - 1898

George Hendrik Breitner created these Figuurstudies, or Figure Studies, with a graphite pencil on paper. The pale surface is sparsely populated with faint sketches, their incompleteness suggesting a fleeting glimpse. Observe how the lines dance across the page, almost as if Breitner is coaxing forms from the void. This is not about capturing precise representation, but about the interaction between line, form, and the very act of seeing. Breitner’s sketches echo the rapid urbanisation of Amsterdam and his fascination with depicting the life he observed. The artist is capturing a moment in time, an individual in a state of flux. This is not a static portrait, but a suggestion of movement, a hint of narrative caught in the web of lines. This approach embodies a shift in artistic values, prioritising subjective experience over objective representation.