Gezicht in Amsterdam 1886 - 1923

Here is a sketch, made by George Hendrik Breitner, capturing a fleeting impression of Amsterdam. I can almost feel the scratch of the chalk on paper, the artist’s hand moving quickly to capture the essence of the scene. It's like a visual shorthand, a way of jotting down not just what he saw, but how it felt to be there, in that moment. The lines aren't precious; they're urgent, raw, and real. I wonder if Breitner was thinking about how to translate this sketch into a more finished painting, or if he was simply enjoying the act of looking and recording? I bet he knew that sketching, like painting, is a form of embodied expression which embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations. Artists are constantly inspiring one another’s creativity through a conversation across time. It's like we're all in this together, trying to make sense of the world through mark-making.