Paardentrams op de Dam in Amsterdam c. 1890 - 1900

This sketch of horse-drawn trams on the Dam Square in Amsterdam was created by George Hendrik Breitner using graphite on paper. The hurried marks and smudges yield an image that is both fleeting and immediate. Breitner’s sketch appears as a field of graphic incidents, where lines and shading build up to suggest forms without ever fully resolving into a coherent picture. The use of line is particularly striking. It varies from delicate, almost hesitant strokes to bold, assertive dashes, creating a dynamic surface, full of energy. The tram and figures emerge from this matrix of marks, yet simultaneously remain enmeshed within it. Breitner captures the essence of a moment, presenting us with an unstable image that challenges our perception. It is a study not just of the scene itself, but of the very act of seeing and recording. We are left with an evocative sense of place, fragmented and unresolved.