Gezicht in Haarlem met de toren van de Sint-Bavokerk c. 1903

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch of a view in Haarlem with the tower of the Sint-Bavokerk, probably with ink on paper. I love the way he uses these minimal marks to suggest the facades of the buildings, almost like a shorthand. It’s all about paring things down to their essence. You can see how the ink bleeds slightly into the paper, creating a soft edge to the lines. There's a kind of vulnerability about these lines, as if Breitner is thinking aloud, trying to capture the fleeting impression of a place. Look at how he renders the Sint-Bavokerk in the distance. It's just a few lines, but they evoke the height and scale of the building. It reminds me of the sketches of Van Gogh, where the artist is trying to find a direct connection between the eye, the hand, and the world. It speaks to the idea of art as a process of discovery, where the artist is constantly questioning and experimenting.