Studie, mogelijk van een landschap of stadsgezicht Possibly 1882 - 1886

George Hendrik Breitner created this drawing, "Studie, mogelijk van een landschap of stadsgezicht", with pencil. It is currently held in the Rijksmuseum. The drawing's impact emerges from its skeletal composition, a network of lines that propose form without fully resolving into concrete shapes. At the base, a few short, straight lines coalesce into a pyramid and the suggestion of a circular base, possibly a structure within a landscape or cityscape. Above, the form evolves into a trapezoid with curved elements that suggest a study of spatial relations and architectural volume. Breitner’s sketch exemplifies how the materiality of art, the graphite against paper, creates an interplay between intention and chance. The lack of definitive form challenges our urge to classify and stabilize meaning, aligning with post-structuralist ideas that resist fixed interpretations. Ultimately, the study invites ongoing engagement with how minimal gestures can provoke diverse readings. The act of drawing becomes a philosophical exercise, questioning the nature of representation and the instability of meaning itself.