Twee mannenhoofden 1909

George Hendrik Breitner made this drawing of two men's heads at an unknown date, using what looks like charcoal or graphite on paper. The way the marks are smudged and blurred suggests he was really feeling his way into the image, letting the medium guide him. Look at how the hat on the left figure is built up from these tiny, almost hesitant strokes. It’s like he’s coaxing the form out of the paper, a process of discovery rather than a rigid plan. The lines around the second figure are darker and more decisive, a contrast that creates a kind of visual tension. The texture of the paper itself plays a big part here; the tooth of it grabs the charcoal, creating a broken, uneven surface. It reminds me of some of Degas’ more informal sketches, where he's just playing with form and light. Breitner isn’t trying to give us a finished portrait but something more raw, more immediate, and perhaps more honest.