Twee dieren, mogelijk ratten of muizen 1880 - 1882

George Hendrik Breitner made this pencil drawing, Twee dieren, mogelijk ratten of muizen, now held at the Rijksmuseum. Breitner's Amsterdam was a city undergoing rapid social and economic transformation. His art was a reflection of the changing urban landscape and the lives of its inhabitants. Breitner, known for his gritty depictions of city life, often focused on the marginalized. Here, he turns his eye to these oft-overlooked creatures, the rat or mouse. Such animals are not the usual subject of art, but can be seen to represent a class of being, of living, that exists on the fringes of society. This sketch offers a window into the artist's social consciousness. It suggests a sensitivity to the lives of all beings, regardless of their social status or perceived value. This drawing could also be seen as a reflection on the ephemerality of existence. Breitner, who said "I am not a painter for ladies with smelling salts," was known for his unflinching gaze. Perhaps in these rodents, he saw something of himself: transient, vulnerable, and struggling to survive in a rapidly changing world.