Gezicht op gebouwen in Amsterdam, mogelijk in de omgeving van Prinseneiland 1912 - 1919

This sketch, by George Hendrik Breitner, captures a view of buildings in Amsterdam with charcoal on paper. Dominating the foreground, a stark tree branch cuts diagonally across the scene, its bareness suggesting winter or perhaps the starkness of urban life. The motif of the bare tree, so simple, is one that echoes through art history. Consider the medieval "Tree of Jesse," where the tree symbolizes lineage and ancestry. Here, though, the tree is stark, perhaps mirroring the alienation and isolation felt in modern urban environments. We can see the tree as a symbol for how nature is presented in urban settings, with the tree being more of a reminder than an actual connection. The buildings in the backdrop serve as a reminder that the natural element is being swallowed by the urban landscape.