Dienstmeid met een sneeuwbal in haar hand 1893 - 1899

George Hendrik Breitner sketched this maid with a snowball in her hand, likely in the late 19th or early 20th century. Breitner was interested in representing the lives of ordinary people in the Netherlands, especially in Amsterdam. In this quick sketch, we see a maid in motion, perhaps caught in a moment of playful rebellion or a brief respite from her duties. Breitner was part of a broader artistic movement that questioned the traditional hierarchy of subject matter in art, elevating everyday life over historical or mythological scenes. Breitner himself received academic training at the academies of The Hague and Amsterdam, but he aligned himself with a more realist approach, influenced by photography and a desire to capture the fleeting moments of modern life. His work reflects a changing society where the lives of the working class were gaining visibility, even within the art world. To fully appreciate Breitner's place in art history, we need to delve into the archives, exhibition reviews, and the social history of the Netherlands at the time. This helps us understand the shifting attitudes towards class, labor, and the very purpose of art.