Gezicht op het Singel te Amsterdam met paard-en-wagen 1886 - 1903

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch of the Singel canal in Amsterdam with charcoal on paper. Breitner was working in the Netherlands at the end of the 19th century, a time of rapid urbanization. How might an artist respond to such sweeping change? Well, instead of painting traditional landscapes or portraits of the wealthy, Breitner chose to depict everyday urban life. Look at the horse and carriage struggling along the canal. This scene captures the energy of a bustling city but also hints at the disruption caused by modernization. Breitner was associated with the Amsterdam Impressionism movement, he was interested in capturing fleeting moments and the gritty reality of modern life, which challenged the art establishment’s preference for idealized subjects. To understand Breitner better, we can look at photographs and newspapers from that time to understand the social conditions that shaped his vision. Ultimately, Breitner's art reminds us that artistic expression is always linked to the world around it.