Gezicht op de Sloterdijkbrug te Amsterdam 1896 - 1897

This is George Hendrik Breitner's sketch of the Sloterdijkbrug in Amsterdam. Breitner, who lived from 1857 to 1923, captured Amsterdam with an unflinching eye, reflecting the rapid urban changes of his time. Breitner, known as the 'painter of the gray Amsterdam', often depicted the working class and marginalized communities, a choice that underscored social divides. His art confronted the polished veneer of bourgeois life, exposing the raw realities of a city in flux. Breitner himself said he was, "Always sensitive to the beauty of the streets." The sketch is more than just a study of a bridge; it represents a moment of transition in Amsterdam’s history, capturing the city's shift with quick, intimate strokes. The bridge is a silent observer of the social tapestry unfolding around it. It speaks to the city's ambitions and the quiet struggles of its people, rendered here with an immediacy that invites us to consider how the spaces we inhabit shape our shared histories.