Twee staande figuren, mogelijk vrouwen 1886 - 1923

This small drawing of two standing figures, possibly women, was made by George Hendrik Breitner. The figures are suggested with just a few lines, almost like ghosts. What were they wearing? What were they looking at? You can see the quick decisions of the artist, that almost-erased line, that shape. The artist probably drew these figures very quickly in a sketchbook, perhaps while on the move. I love the mystery and the not-knowing. These women seem so fleeting but I can see their weight on the page. It reminds me of work by artists like Degas, Lautrec, Morisot, and Cassatt, who made sketches of everyday life, including the lives of women. It’s fascinating to see how one drawing can echo across decades. Ultimately, this sketch reminds me of how painting is a form of thinking and that the meaning is never fixed, but always shifting and changing.