Dienstmeiden op het Haarlemmerplein te Amsterdam c. 1903

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch of maids in Haarlemmerplein, Amsterdam, with graphite on paper. What strikes me first is the raw, immediate quality of the lines. You can almost see Breitner’s hand moving quickly across the page, capturing a fleeting moment. Look at how he renders the figures. They’re not precise, but rather suggested with a few confident strokes. There's a looseness to the drawing, a sense of improvisation that I find so appealing. The texture of the paper is also visible, adding another layer of richness to the piece. It reminds me of sketches by Degas. It’s a reminder that art isn’t always about perfection, but about process, intuition, and the sheer joy of mark-making. It’s like a visual diary entry, capturing a moment in time with honesty and immediacy.