Dak van een gebouw of paardentram 1880 - 1882

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch of a rooftop or horse tram with graphite on paper. Immediately, the stark simplicity of the drawing captures attention. The composition is fragmented, almost abstract, focusing on lines and geometric shapes rather than a cohesive scene. Breitner’s sketch defies traditional representation. Instead, it presents a raw, immediate impression—an exploration of form and space. The sparseness of the lines isolates individual architectural or mechanical elements, inviting the viewer to complete the image. This approach aligns with the broader modernist project of deconstructing visual experience and challenging fixed meanings. The sketch prompts a re-evaluation of how we perceive and construct reality through art. Consider how this reduction to essential forms questions the very nature of representation. What does it mean to depict reality? What can art tell us about the world?