Vrouwen op de Dam in Amsterdam 1893

George Hendrik Breitner created this sketch, *Vrouwen op de Dam in Amsterdam,* in the late 19th or early 20th century. Breitner, who was a part of the Amsterdam Impressionism movement, sought to capture the gritty realities of urban life, moving away from romanticized depictions. This sketch, featuring women on the Dam Square, offers us insight into the daily lives of working-class women in Amsterdam. The hurried lines convey a sense of movement, yet their anonymity raises questions about visibility and representation of women in public spaces. As he captured fleeting moments of everyday life, Breitner was, "always on the lookout for unusual scenes of movement." Breitner's sketch invites us to reflect on the historical context and the complex dynamics of gender, class, and representation in the urban environment. How does capturing women in public spaces serve to challenge traditional notions of domesticity?