Vrouwenhoofd met een muts met oorijzers c. 1883 - 1885

George Hendrik Breitner sketched this woman's head, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century, likely with a graphite pencil on paper. Note the marks left by the pencil, and the texture of the paper itself – these are the material facts of the drawing. Breitner clearly wasn't trying to disguise these elements. Rather, he accentuated them, leaving clear traces of the making process. The roughness of the lines, combined with the subject's traditional Dutch cap, connects the drawing to the everyday realities of working-class life in the Netherlands at the time. Breitner was interested in capturing fleeting moments and the textures of urban life. This direct, unpretentious approach elevates the humble materials and the simple act of drawing, reminding us that artistic value isn't just about elaborate techniques or expensive materials. It is about the artist's eye and how they choose to represent the world around them.