Annotaties 1896

Here's a peek into George Hendrik Breitner's notebook, a direct encounter with the artist's working methods. With graphite on paper, Breitner jots down quick annotations and impressions. Unlike a formal painting, this isn't about illusionism or finish. It's about raw information, rapidly captured. Notice the texture of the paper itself. The graphite is applied with varying pressure, creating a range of tones. You can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the page, trying to capture fleeting details. This isn't high art in the traditional sense. It’s a record of looking, a tool for future creation, more akin to craft than a finished masterpiece. This kind of direct, unmediated engagement with materials and the world around him was crucial to Breitner's practice. It reminds us that even the most refined works of art begin with simple, tactile processes.