Man op een paardenkar, mogelijk een ploegende boer 1897

This is George Hendrik Breitner's 'Man on a Cart, Possibly a Ploughing Farmer', a sketch rendered with graphite on paper. The sketch presents a study in minimalist form. Breitner captures the essence of the subject with an economy of line. The shapes are rudimentary, yet they convey movement and weight through their deliberate arrangement. The composition teeters on the edge of abstraction, challenging our perception of form and representation. The lines are not merely descriptive but performative, suggesting the dynamics of the scene. Breitner is less concerned with mimetic accuracy and more interested in the structural framework of seeing. The sketch privileges the act of interpretation, inviting viewers to complete the image in their minds. Breitner uses graphite to explore the relationship between seeing and knowing. The unfinished nature of the sketch emphasizes the transient and provisional nature of perception. The artwork functions as a semiotic structure, where each line and form acts as a signifier.