The Rokin c. 1880 - 1923

toned paper

water colours

rough brush stroke

incomplete sketchy

possibly oil pastel

underpainting

pastel chalk drawing

horse

watercolour bleed

watercolour illustration

watercolor

"The Rokin" is a sketch by Dutch painter George Hendrik Breitner, housed in the Rijksmuseum. The artwork depicts a quick, gestural portrayal of horses on the Rokin, a street in Amsterdam. Breitner is known for capturing the dynamism of urban life, and this sketch reflects his signature style of loose brushstrokes and bold outlines. The painting's muted color palette, dominated by browns and greys, further emphasizes the sketch-like nature of the work.

Comments

rijksmuseum over 1 year ago

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Horses were Breitner’s first subject and remained a life-long passion. This sketch shows how he made a preliminary lay-out of a cityscape. He did this on the spot, using a small panel that fit into the lid of his painter’s box. He depicted the two horses and the horse tram, as well as the contours of the houses, with swift strokes in brown tints over the summary underdrawing.