Gezicht op gebouwen te Amsterdam en de sloop van de Winkel van Sinkel aan de Nieuwendijk 1903

This sketchy drawing of buildings in Amsterdam and the demolition of the Winkel van Sinkel on the Nieuwendijk was made by George Hendrik Breitner. Imagine Breitner standing there, sketchbook in hand, as the city evolved around him. His marks are quick, urgent – like he's trying to capture a fleeting moment before it disappears. It feels provisional, not labored, like he's thinking on the page. There is such freedom! I think about the act of demolition: How does one capture the absence of something? The loss of a building, a landmark, and the lives that occurred within it. I wonder if he knew this sketch would outlive the building. Artists often engage in a dialogue across time, influencing and inspiring one another's creativity. The beauty of art lies in its ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations and meanings.