Gezicht op Amsterdam met aangemeerde schepen 1886 - 1923

Here is George Hendrik Breitner's sketch, "View of Amsterdam with Moored Ships" found in one of his sketchbooks. Breitner, working in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, captured Amsterdam's streets and working class with a gritty realism that set him apart from his contemporaries. This sketch gives us a glimpse into the world of the harbor, a space of bustling activity and diverse labor. It is difficult to tell if there are people depicted here because of the quickly drawn lines. Perhaps, the people are suggested through the labor of loading and unloading cargo. How does Breitner acknowledge the lives of those who lived and worked in these spaces? Breitner himself was known for his direct engagement with the city. This work humanizes the landscape of industry and commerce and invites us to consider the lives and labor that sustained Amsterdam's prosperity. How do you experience the intimate and immediate quality of this work?