Annotaties c. 1903

This page of annotations was produced by George Hendrik Breitner in the Netherlands, most likely in the late 19th or early 20th century. At first glance, it’s just numbers jotted down on a piece of paper. But consider the role of such notes in Breitner’s artistic process. Breitner was known for his street photography and his paintings of Amsterdam. He was interested in capturing the daily life of the city, the movement of people and horses, and the effects of light and atmosphere. These annotations might represent a form of calculation or measurement used in the process of representing the world in pictorial form. They may relate to the cost of materials, the dimensions of a canvas, or some other aspect of artistic production. Understanding the function of this page in the context of Breitner’s wider artistic output requires further investigation, perhaps by comparing it to other notes or sketches found in his archive. By studying the material culture of artistic production, we can gain insight into the working methods of an artist and the social conditions that shape their work.