Twee zittende mannen 1867 - 1923

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch of two seated men with charcoal on paper. Breitner was known for his interest in capturing everyday life in Amsterdam during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Breitner was part of a generation of artists who turned their attention to the working class, the urban environment, and the gritty realities of modern life. These men, possibly laborers or lower-middle-class individuals, are depicted without romanticism, their faces bearing the marks of daily toil. The artist's choice to focus on these figures challenges the traditional art historical focus on the upper classes. The sketch is intimate and personal, inviting us to consider the lives and experiences of these anonymous men. Breitner seems to ask us to acknowledge their presence and dignity, even in a society that often overlooked them.