Vrouw en kind bij een doorgang c. 1886 - 1923

Here’s a pencil sketch by George Hendrik Breitner of a woman and child by a doorway, and some heads, hanging out at the Rijksmuseum. Look how Breitner lets the figures emerge from a web of lines—you can almost feel him searching for the right contour. He’s trying to get something down quick, before it disappears. I sympathize! The soft gray of the pencil creates a kind of quiet atmosphere. Notice how the archway frames the scene, giving it a sense of depth. It’s as if we’re peeking into another world. You can see it’s not just a literal representation, but a record of the artist's own looking. A way of thinking through drawing. Breitner's sketch feels like a conversation with other artists who have explored similar themes, like Käthe Kollwitz, for instance. It’s about capturing a moment, an impression, rather than a perfect likeness. And, like all good art, it invites us to bring our own experiences and interpretations to the work.