Figuur aan het water 1880 - 1882

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch, "Figuur aan het water," with a graphite pencil on paper. Breitner was working in the Netherlands at a time when artists were turning away from the staid traditions of the Dutch Academy. Breitner was associated with the Amsterdam Impressionism movement, taking inspiration from French painters such as Monet and Degas. This explains his apparent interest in light and movement, capturing an immediate impression of the world, rather than an idealized version of it. He, along with other artists of his time, also turned away from historical paintings, and instead, focused on contemporary subjects. Historical sources such as letters and diaries can give us insights into his life, helping us understand how he saw himself as an artist. We might ask, what were Breitner's intentions when he captured this scene, and how did those intentions relate to the art world he inhabited?