Twee paarden c. 1886 - 1903

George Hendrik Breitner created this drawing of ‘Twee paarden’ with chalk on paper. The swift, assured lines capture two horses in what appears to be a moment of quiet repose. Breitner's use of line is particularly striking. It's not about capturing every detail, but rather, the essence of form. The horses are built from a framework of bold, dark lines, with lighter, fainter strokes suggesting depth and volume. The effect is a dynamic tension between what is present and what is implied. This drawing exists not as a finished piece, but as a study, capturing the artist's thought process. Incomplete forms and shadowy lines prompt questions about representation and the artist's subjective experience. The semiotic effect prompts us to fill in the gaps, so to speak. The drawing, therefore, becomes not just an image of horses, but an exploration of how we perceive form and space through the language of drawing.