Studie, mogelijk van een gezicht in Amsterdam c. 1886 - 1923

This quick sketch of a face in Amsterdam was done by George Hendrik Breitner, probably with a graphite pencil on paper. It's all about the tentative gesture, the searching line. I love how Breitner just lets his hand wander, feeling its way through the subject. You can almost see him squinting at the scene before dashing it down. See that little cluster of marks in the center? Is it a building, or maybe the shadow of a tree? The lines are so light, almost dissolving into the paper, it’s like he's capturing a fleeting impression more than a solid thing. It reminds me of the rapid, on-the-go works of Manet, who similarly was attempting to capture the speed and dynamism of modern life. These sorts of sketches are an ongoing conversation; a way to stay nimble and keep the ideas flowing. It’s not about perfection, but the possibility of something new emerging.