Figuren in de Kalverstraat te Amsterdam c. 1894

George Hendrik Breitner created this sketch, Figuren in de Kalverstraat te Amsterdam, using graphite on paper. Immediately, your eye is drawn into a composition dominated by dense, energetic lines that suggest movement and bustling activity. The artist uses cross-hatching to build form and shadow, creating a sense of depth within the two-dimensional plane. The structural arrangement of the lines guides the viewer's eye, while the rapid, almost frantic marks evoke the chaotic energy of a busy Amsterdam street. Breitner seems less interested in the literal representation and more in capturing the essence of a fleeting moment. This sketch, with its emphasis on line and form over detail, aligns with broader modernist concerns about the breakdown of traditional modes of representation. It invites us to consider the artwork as a dynamic interplay of visual forces, where the act of seeing becomes an active, interpretive process.