Annotaties 1893

This is a page of annotations by George Hendrik Breitner, dating from around 1882. These aren't finished works, but rather the private notations and sketches from an artist deeply engaged with documenting the changing face of Amsterdam. Breitner was a key figure in the Amsterdam Impressionism movement, reacting against academic traditions and engaging with social realism, he was known for capturing the city's working class and urban landscapes. Breitner’s interest in photography as a tool allowed him to capture fleeting moments and translate them into his paintings and sketches. His photographs and sketches, like the page in front of us, often served as studies for his larger paintings. These notes give us a more intimate glimpse into Breitner’s artistic process, revealing the blend of meticulous planning and spontaneous observation that characterized his work. As he once said, he aimed to capture 'the appearance of a moment'. The act of annotation itself becomes a form of mark-making, reflecting a moment of thought, observation, and personal interpretation.