Figuur achter een paard 1912 - 1919

George Hendrik Breitner made this drawing called, "Figuur achter een paard," using what looks like a graphite stick on paper. It’s a flurry of marks that feel as though they're almost falling apart. The texture and surface of the paper are left quite bare, acting as a backdrop against which the graphite marks can dance. You can see a certain softness in the graphite, with the smudging effect of the stick allowing it to settle into the paper in a way that feels intimate. The marks are decisive, not labored over, capturing something in motion with the fewest possible lines. Look at the way a few strokes conjure the form of a horse and the figure behind it. Breitner, like Degas, found a lot of inspiration in everyday life, capturing these fleeting moments and the beauty of urban life as it unfolded around him. Both artists understood the power of suggestion, inviting the viewer to co-create the image. Neither of them felt the need to spell everything out. In art, as in life, it's often the unspoken that resonates most deeply.