Schetsboek met 18 bladen 1883 - 1885

This sketchbook was made by George Hendrik Breitner sometime between 1870 and 1923, and it contains 18 pages of sketches. The materials themselves – paper, ink, and a marbled cover – are unassuming, but they speak volumes about the working methods of an artist deeply engaged with modern life. Breitner wasn't interested in precious materials; instead, he embraced the immediacy of sketching as a way to capture fleeting moments. The sketchbook is small and easily portable, suggesting an artist constantly on the move, observing and recording the world around him. The marbled cover, likely mass-produced, further emphasizes the everyday nature of this object. It's a reminder that art doesn't always require elaborate materials or techniques. Sometimes, the simplest tools can be the most effective in capturing the essence of a moment. It challenges the traditional hierarchy between fine art and the more humble realm of sketchbooks and studies.