Studie van de voorzijde van een toegangspenning voor de Hortus Medicus te Amsterdam 1884 - 1886

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch of an admission token for the Hortus Medicus in Amsterdam, likely in the late 19th or early 20th century, using graphite on paper. The medium itself, graphite, is crucial here. The immediacy and portability of graphite allowed Breitner to capture a fleeting impression of the token. Its monochrome nature focuses our attention on the design’s linework, a deliberate choice emphasizing form over color. The sketchiness, the unfinished quality, all speak to the process. It wasn't about achieving a perfect likeness but understanding the token's design. Perhaps it served as a study for a larger work, or simply a personal record. This kind of drawing practice sits outside of both fine art and craft, and is a record of the artist's labor and attempt to grasp the world around him. It blurs the lines between artistic exploration and the everyday act of observing and recording.