Annotaties c. 1892 - 1923

George Hendrik Breitner created this annotated sketch at an unknown date, now held at the Rijksmuseum. Breitner lived through a period of rapid social change in the Netherlands, witnessing urbanization and industrialization. Breitner's annotations hint at the commodification of art materials, revealing a market-driven aspect of artistic creation. The drawing and the notes about pricing and ordering of supplies can be seen as an intersection of artistic expression and commercial realities, as a part of an emerging capitalist society that affected all spheres of life, including the art world. Breitner once said, "Art is too important to be left to the artists." This drawing seems to be a sentiment of that idea, revealing the economic structures shaping artistic creation. Through this work, we gain a glimpse into the daily life of an artist, which helps us to question the romanticized notions of artistic genius and consider the socio-economic factors that underpin the production of art.