Boerderijen c. 1883 - 1885

George Hendrik Breitner created this sketch titled 'Boerderijen', or farms, sometime between 1880 and 1923. Breitner was known for his depictions of Amsterdam and the lives of its working class. While this sketch diverges from his more typical subject matter, it provides insight into his artistic process and the socio-economic context of the late 19th and early 20th century Netherlands. Breitner, a contemporary of Vincent van Gogh, captures the rural landscape with a similar raw immediacy. His choice to focus on farms, the sites of labor and sustenance, evokes the era's agrarian roots. The loose, gestural lines suggest a fleeting moment, a quick study perhaps made en plein air. Consider how the sketch's simplicity invites contemplation on the lives of the farmers and laborers who shaped the land. Breitner's work prompts us to reflect on the relationship between urban and rural life, and the dignity of labor. It reminds us of the human stories embedded in landscapes.