Duinlandschap 1880 - 1882

George Hendrik Breitner made this drawing of a dune landscape in the Netherlands, using graphite on paper. Looking closely, you can see the artist employed quick, energetic lines to capture the undulating forms of the dunes. The varying pressure and density of the graphite create a range of tonal values, suggesting light and shadow. This technique is reminiscent of the quick sketches artists often made en plein air. Breitner was a keen observer of everyday life, and these types of sketches were crucial to his wider artistic practice. With an industrializing society at the time, the mass production of paper and graphite pencils made it cheap and easy for artists to use these materials. By choosing these readily available materials and engaging in quick sketching, Breitner democratized his artistic process. This way of making art reflects the shifting social landscape, where the means of artistic production were becoming more accessible to a wider range of people. Paying attention to the materials and methods used provides insights not only into the artist's technique, but also into the broader social and cultural context in which the work was created.