Ruiter en een man op klompen met een stok, mogelijk een boer c. 1883 - 1885

This sketch was created by George Hendrik Breitner, using graphite on paper. A seemingly simple combination of materials, but one that gives us insight into the artist’s working process. Breitner was known for capturing the gritty reality of urban life, and here, in this sketch, we see him working through ideas, capturing figures and scenes with quick, energetic lines. The graphite allows for a range of tones and textures, from light, almost ephemeral strokes to dense, dark shading. This immediacy is crucial; it suggests Breitner was less concerned with polished representation, and more with rapidly noting his observations. The choice of graphite and paper speaks to the accessibility of art-making. Unlike the laborious process of oil painting, sketching allowed Breitner to engage directly with his surroundings. In doing so, he elevates the everyday, finding artistic potential not in grand narratives, but in the ordinary lives of people and places. The sketch invites us to consider how the act of drawing itself can be a powerful tool for understanding the world around us.