Eendenjager met hond c. 1871 - 1876

Editor: This is George Hendrik Breitner’s "Eendenjager met hond," or "Duck Hunter with Dog," made with pencil, likely between 1871 and 1876. I am struck by the sketch's energetic feel; even unfinished, you get a real sense of movement. What story do you think Breitner is telling? Curator: Story is a great word. It’s less about a fixed narrative, and more a fleeting impression, isn't it? A day out in the fields. It's funny, looking at this now, I almost feel a certain... nostalgia? It’s raw, unpolished, very honest. Notice how he suggests the grassy landscape with just a few strokes, leaving much to our imagination? Breitner captures the instant. Do you think this drawing was perhaps preliminary to a painting? Editor: Perhaps! It feels very immediate. But, yes, even the smoke from the rifle seems more about suggestion than realism. Was Breitner known for these kinds of quick sketches? Curator: He definitely favoured capturing fleeting moments. Think of his street scenes of Amsterdam! There's an incredible vibrancy there, similar to what we see in this more rural sketch. But look at the dog: a simple blur of excited movement, a pure joyful impulse in contrast to the hunter's fixed pose. He’s a very sympathetic character! What would it feel like to join that scene for a moment, that split second when the shot rings out? Editor: I see what you mean. It's not just a literal depiction, but capturing a whole experience. Thinking about it now, the minimal style heightens that immediacy, drawing you into that single, intense moment in nature. Curator: Exactly! It makes you wonder what else he observed. It inspires me to just pause, watch and feel a moment deeply and reflect what makes you happy. Editor: I agree! Thanks to this work I feel more conscious of the amount of time that passes by almost without noticing it.