Stadsgezicht met een aangemeerde boot c. 1902 - 1914

This graphite drawing, Stadsgezicht met een aangemeerde boot, was made by George Hendrik Breitner. It's all about seeing, right? How do we make sense of the world, how do we catch it? The boat is almost like a collection of afterthoughts, sketched on top of each other with just a few lines. I love how Breitner's marks are so economical, almost like he’s trying to catch a fleeting thought. Look at the cross-hatching near the base of the boat, these marks build a sense of form without ever really solidifying into one coherent thing. It's like he's saying, "Here's a boat, or at least, here's what a boat feels like." Breitner reminds me of Degas, with his quick, decisive marks. Both of them were interested in capturing a moment, a feeling, rather than getting bogged down in details. It’s about being present, responding, and letting the work evolve. Art’s not about answers, it's about asking better questions.