Gezicht op het Damrak te Amsterdam met boten 1912 - 1919

This sketch of the Damrak in Amsterdam, by George Hendrik Breitner, is made using charcoal on paper. You can see the artist's hand moving quickly, capturing the essence of the boats and buildings with just a few lines. It's almost as if he’s trying to catch a fleeting moment, like a memory fading at the edges. I imagine Breitner standing there, charcoal in hand, feeling the energy of the city. What did he notice? What was he thinking about as he translated what he saw into these marks? He makes the marks so deftly, so confidently. Look at the way he suggests the reflections in the water with those quick, horizontal strokes. It reminds me of the work of other painters who were trying to capture the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere, like Whistler. Artists are in constant conversation with one another, aren't they? Each one building on the ideas of those who came before, and inspiring those who come after.