Schetsboek met 27 bladen 1887 - 1889

This sketchbook was made by George Hendrik Breitner in Amsterdam between 1887 and 1889. Think of this object as a meeting point between the artist’s hand, and the industrialized world of paper and bookbinding. The sketchbook is small and portable. It reflects the increasing availability of paper in the late 19th century, when artists could easily acquire sketchbooks for their daily practice. Breitner used it to capture fleeting moments of urban life, from street scenes to portraits. The cover shows the traces of use, bearing witness to the artist's engagement with the world around him. The book's modest size suggests an intimate relationship between the artist and his subject matter. It shows an artistic process rooted in direct observation, a connection between seeing and making. The sketchbook challenges our notions of high art, emphasizing the role of everyday materials and practices in the creative process. It is through these modest means that artists like Breitner could engage with, and represent, the changing world around them.