Groep figuren c. 1886 - 1890

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch of a group of figures with charcoal on paper, its date is unknown. Breitner was known for his gritty, impressionistic depictions of Amsterdam and its working class. In this sketch, the figures seem caught in a moment of transition, their identities obscured by the hurried strokes of the charcoal. Breitner, who positioned himself as the ‘people’s painter,’ often sought to capture the transient nature of urban life, reflecting the social realities of his time. The lack of detail invites us to project our own experiences and emotions onto the scene. Are we looking at a group of laborers, their bodies worn from work? Or are these figures simply passersby, their lives briefly intersecting in the crowded city? The sketch reminds us that behind every face in the crowd, there is a story waiting to be told. Breitner’s sketch captures both the anonymity and the shared humanity of city life.