Gezicht op huizen aan de Brouwersgracht te Amsterdam c. 1906 - 1923

George Hendrik Breitner made this graphite sketch of houses on the Brouwersgracht in Amsterdam, and it feels like the start of something, a thought process. The lines are tentative, searching, like he’s mapping out not just the buildings but a way of seeing them. I love the texture of the paper, how it peeks through the lines, reminding us of the physical act of drawing. Each mark feels so intentional, even the ones that seem like mistakes. Look at the varied weight of the lines - some are bold and confident, others barely there, like whispers. This contrast gives the sketch a real energy, a sense of movement. The way he stacks the buildings, one on top of the other, it reminds me a little of David Hockney’s photographic collages, where he’s trying to capture a sense of place over time. It’s like Breitner is saying, “Here are these buildings, but also here’s how I’m seeing them, how I’m thinking about them.” It’s not just a record of a place; it's a record of a mind at work.