Figuren bij een heistelling 1906

George Hendrik Breitner made this small drawing, Figuren bij een heistelling, with black chalk. The lines are quick, almost like he’s trying to catch something that’s about to disappear. You can see the process right there on the page, the artist thinking with his hand. The surface is raw, exposed. Breitner isn't trying to hide anything. The chalk makes a beautiful, scratchy texture, especially where he’s built up the shadows. Look at the figures in the centre – they’re just a few strokes, but they feel so present, like they’re really there, watching the construction. There's a real directness in the mark making, a kind of immediacy that invites you in. It reminds me a little of Daumier, that sense of capturing everyday life with such honesty. Breitner’s drawing is a reminder that art isn’t about perfection, it’s about feeling, about seeing, and about sharing that vision with others.