Man met hoed c. 1886 - 1923

George Hendrik Breitner drew this man with a hat sometime in his life, probably with graphite on paper. It's all about the quick and dirty—the kind of drawing where you're just trying to catch a feeling, a vibe. Look at the concentrated hatching on the left. It’s like Breitner is pressing down hard on the graphite, trying to add weight to the man, or to suggest a shadow. Elsewhere the line is so so light, barely there, and yet it's enough to tell us everything we need to know. A suggestion of a lapel, the angle of the hat. This reminds me a little of Daumier, who was also interested in capturing a sense of everyday life, especially the character of people you might see walking down the street. It shows how art is always an ongoing conversation, responding to what came before and opening up new possibilities.