Arbeiders aan het werk, mogelijk sloopwerkzaamheden c. 1903

George Hendrik Breitner made this quick sketch, maybe while on the go, to capture workers, possibly during demolition. The linear quality and overall sense of immediacy lead me to think it might have been done in pencil or ink. You can almost feel Breitner sizing up the scene, deciding what to leave in and what to leave out. It's like he’s asking himself, what's essential here? The raw energy of labor, the way bodies move in space. There’s a real sense of freedom in the marks, like he’s letting his hand do the thinking. Painters are always in conversation with each other, riffing off ideas across time. I find myself wondering what Breitner might have thought of someone like Daumier. He also had this knack for capturing the everyday hustle. Ultimately, it reminds me that painting at its best is a way of thinking, feeling, and seeing all rolled into one. It embraces uncertainty and allows for multiple meanings.