Boten voor gebouwen, abklatsch van een krijttekening 1912

Here we have a chalk drawing by George Hendrik Breitner depicting boats near buildings. The composition is really interesting; it's like the artist was trying to capture a fleeting impression, a half-formed thought. I imagine Breitner standing by the canal, quickly sketching to capture a sensory impression. It must have been early morning: thin horizontal lines suggest the masts, and some curved lines are allude to the boats and the buildings that are nearby. It makes me think of Whistler, but with a touch of Dutch realism. The drawing feels so immediate, as if the artist is right there in front of us, capturing the scene with just a few strokes of chalk. We can almost feel the dampness of the air and hear the sounds of the city coming to life. Ultimately, Breitner's sketch reminds us that art is not just about representation, it is a way of seeing, thinking, and experiencing the world.