Studies, mogelijk architectuurstudies c. 1903

This sketch, made by George Hendrik Breitner, probably in the late 19th or early 20th century, is like a visual whisper. It’s all tentative lines and ghostly shapes, giving us the bare bones of what might be architectural studies. The texture of the paper peeks through the graphite, making the surface almost as important as the marks themselves. Breitner isn't trying to hide his process; in fact, he puts it right out there. Look at the bold, almost frantic lines that suggest a window or a building facade, and then the delicate, hanging form to the right, like a plumb bob or a strange lamp. It’s a beautiful contrast. This drawing reminds me of Cy Twombly's sketches – that same sense of searching, of trying to capture something fleeting. It’s more about the feeling of a space than a literal representation, and that's what makes it so compelling.