Zittende vrouw c. 1886 - 1890

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch of a seated woman with charcoal on paper. Breitner was documenting the changing face of Amsterdam at the turn of the 20th century, a time when the Netherlands was rapidly industrializing. He was particularly interested in capturing the lives of ordinary people, often working-class women. While academic painting often emphasized idealized beauty, Breitner sought a different kind of realism, one that acknowledged the grit and complexity of modern life. In this sketch, the loose, expressive lines give a sense of immediacy and intimacy, as if we are catching a glimpse of the woman in a private moment. We might ask, who was this woman? What was her life like? Breitner's sketch invites us to consider the lives of those often overlooked in official histories. By consulting archives, period photographs, and social histories, we can better understand the world in which Breitner lived and worked, and gain a deeper appreciation for the social consciousness of his art.