Figuren aan de Lauriergracht te Amsterdam c. 1886 - 1903

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch of figures on the Lauriergracht in Amsterdam with graphite on paper. Breitner was known for capturing the bustling life of Amsterdam in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In this sketch, we see a snapshot of everyday life along one of Amsterdam's canals. The rapid strokes and unfinished quality suggest that Breitner was more interested in capturing the fleeting impressions of modern urban life than in creating a highly polished work. This was a period of rapid industrialization and urbanization in the Netherlands, and the art world was experiencing a transition from traditional academic styles to more avant-garde movements. Breitner was associated with the Amsterdam Impressionism movement, which sought to depict the gritty realities of modern life. To understand Breitner's work better, we need to look at the social conditions of Amsterdam at the time, as well as the institutional context of the art world, by visiting archives, reading letters, and looking at exhibition reviews from the period.