Kinderen in de Oude Looiersstraat te Amsterdam c. 1885 - 1898

George Hendrik Breitner made this drawing, "Kinderen in de Oude Looiersstraat te Amsterdam," with graphite on paper. The immediacy of the graphite medium allows Breitner to capture a fleeting glimpse of children on an Amsterdam street. This direct, almost journalistic approach reflects a modern sensibility, moving away from formal studio portraiture to observe everyday life. The texture of the paper supports the quick, gestural marks, emphasizing the rawness of the urban environment. Breitner's choice of graphite and paper, humble materials, democratizes art-making. The emphasis shifts from the artist’s skill to the subject itself, the children and their environment. The sketch implies a social observation: a snapshot of working-class children, suggesting themes of labor and urban life. The sketch is a moment, a glimpse, a testament to the transient nature of urban experience. It challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and the raw, unfiltered observation of everyday life.