Studieblad met tweepuntige steken 1898 - 1902

This is a page from George Hendrik Breitner's sketchbook, a spontaneous exploration with graphite. Observe the recurring motif—what appears to be the front of an airship. It's a symbol pregnant with the aspirations of a new century, the dawn of flight. Yet, looking closer, this airship evokes archaic forms. Consider, for instance, the winged solar disc of ancient Egypt, a symbol of divinity and royal power. The airship, a vessel of modernity, in form and function, echoes these ancient aspirations of transcendence, a psychological yearning to overcome earthly bounds. The symbolic representation of a circle and wings recurs throughout history, and it is no accident that the human imagination would return to it in the age of mechanical flight. This sketch is not merely a study of form; it is a manifestation of our collective subconscious, our enduring desire to soar beyond the confines of our world.