Zittende figuren 1886 - 1923

George Hendrik Breitner made this pencil sketch, 'Zittende figuren,' at an unknown date. It's all about the process, isn't it? You can almost feel Breitner circling the figures, trying to catch them just right, as if they might get up and leave any second. Look at the marks, so light and searching. See how the graphite catches the texture of the paper? It's not about perfection here, but about the act of seeing and recording. The lower figure is more defined, a flurry of short, sharp lines giving shape to the head and shoulders. It’s balanced by the ghostly presence of the figure above, barely there but essential to the composition. This reminds me of some of Degas's sketches, that same sense of fleeting observation. But where Degas is all about elegance, Breitner feels more raw, more immediate. Art isn't about having all the answers, it's about the questions we ask along the way.