Schepen aan het Damrak te Amsterdam c. 1902

George Hendrik Breitner made this drawing of ships on the Damrak in Amsterdam using graphite on paper. Look how he creates a sense of depth, with the image fading into the background. I can imagine Breitner standing there, quickly sketching the ships, trying to capture the essence of the scene before it changed. The lines are so immediate, so full of energy; you can feel the artist's hand moving across the page. It feels like a snapshot. A fleeting moment captured with a few confident strokes. The marks are simple, but they convey so much. I love how the blank spaces are just as important as the lines themselves. It reminds me of some of Degas' drawings, that similar sense of capturing movement and light. There’s so much conversation happening between artists all the time. I wonder if he knew that his sketch would one day be hanging in a museum, inspiring other artists and art lovers.