Paard Possibly 1907 - 1911

George Hendrik Breitner made this work, Paard, with a pencil, and it lives at the Rijksmuseum. It's less about a horse and more about the *idea* of a horse. See how Breitner uses these quick, light strokes? It’s like he's capturing a fleeting thought. The pencil lines aren't trying to be precise, but they give you a sense of the horse's movement and energy. The texture of the paper shows through, making the drawing feel immediate and raw. Look at the way the lines cluster and scatter, how he indicates the form of the body with such economy, and the way he draws the reigns, all with such lightness of touch. It reminds me of a Cy Twombly sketch, both have that sense of capturing a form with speed and an almost brutal lack of detail. It’s like Breitner is saying, "Here’s a horse, but also, here’s the *feeling* of a horse." Art is all about embracing that kind of ambiguity, that space for our own interpretations.