Stratenmakers, mogelijk aan het Rokin te Amsterdam c. 1903

This sketch of street workers in Amsterdam, possibly made at the Rokin, was drawn by George Hendrik Breitner with pencil on paper. You can feel the immediacy of the moment here. It’s all about capturing the fleeting energy of the workers and the city around them. Look at the bold, dark lines that define the figures on the left. These marks aren’t precious; they’re direct and confident. Then, on the right, see how the lines become fainter, almost disappearing, like a memory fading? It's so raw. It reminds me of the sketches of Philip Guston, but where Guston is all about existential angst, Breitner seems more interested in the grit and rhythm of everyday life. It’s like he’s saying, "This is what it feels like to be here, right now." And isn't that what art is all about, after all?