Gezicht op bebouwing c. 1903

This drawing by George Hendrik Breitner, held at the Rijksmuseum, looks like it was made with a pencil, likely on-site, amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. Look at those scribbled lines that capture the jumble of buildings! I can almost feel the artist’s hand moving quickly, trying to keep up with the fleeting moment. Imagine Breitner standing there, maybe a bit windswept, rapidly sketching the scene before him. I am curious about the way he sees the world, this need to translate the complexity of urban life into simple lines. There’s a raw energy in the marks, like he’s not trying to pretty things up, but instead, capturing something real, something immediate. It reminds me a bit of Van Gogh’s urgent mark-making. You know, artists are always having this silent conversation across time, picking up where others left off, responding, reacting, and pushing things further. It’s like one big, messy, beautiful studio that stretches across centuries.