Drie staande vrouwen c. 1873 - 1923

This sketchbook page, by George Hendrik Breitner, was made with graphite on paper. It can be found in the Rijksmuseum. The page seems to show an inventory of art supplies, colours and minerals. Looking closely, we can see names such as ‘Terre Verte’, ‘Malachite’, and ‘Vermilion’. Breitner worked in the Netherlands, at a time of rapid social change and industrial expansion. Breitner was keenly attuned to the changing social landscape of Amsterdam. His paintings and sketches often captured the lives of ordinary people and their surroundings. The sketchbook gives us insights into the material conditions of artistic production in the Netherlands at the end of the 19th Century. To better understand this, we might consult the artist's letters, his account books, or even the records of the colour merchants in Amsterdam. These sources can help us understand the world in which Breitner's art was made.