Artillerist bij twee paarden 1884 - 1886

This is "Artillerist bij twee paarden" (Artillerist with two horses), a sketch in black chalk by George Hendrik Breitner. Breitner was a Dutch artist working at the turn of the 20th century, a time of rapid social change and growing interest in representing everyday life. Breitner was known for his gritty depictions of Amsterdam. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Breitner avoided grand historical or allegorical themes, choosing instead to focus on the mundane realities of urban existence. Military subjects were popular in that era, but Breitner typically focused on the common soldier rather than heroic portrayals of officers or battle scenes. Here, the energetic, unfinished sketch gives us an immediate sense of the figures. To fully appreciate Breitner's work, we can consider the social context in which it was produced. Archival records and newspapers can reveal much about the culture of the army during this period, and an examination of exhibition reviews and sales records can shed light on the contemporary reception of Breitner's art.