Figuur op een paardenkar 1887 - 1891

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch, titled 'Figure on a Horse-Drawn Cart', using graphite on paper. Breitner lived through a time of enormous social change and industrial growth in the Netherlands. His work captures the energy of city life, even as it was profoundly shaped by class divisions. There's a raw, unpolished quality to Breitner’s sketches, such as this one, hinting at the fleeting nature of everyday moments. "I see something beautiful and vulgar at the same time," Breitner once said about his artistic approach. "I am in the middle of it and have to express it in this way." Consider how the portrayal of labor, of working-class individuals, carries a certain weight. This isn't just a depiction of a horse-drawn cart; it's a glimpse into the lives of those whose labor powered the city, a group often rendered invisible in grand narratives of progress. The image's emotional impact is not in idealization, but rather in its stark honesty. Breitner encourages us to see the beauty and dignity in the ordinary, even as we acknowledge the social dynamics that shaped their lives.