Annotaties 1887 - 1889

Here you see a page of annotations, swiftly jotted down by George Hendrik Breitner. The symbols here are of a different nature—numbers, names, and quick notes that speak to the everyday life of the artist. Look at the hurried script—it reminds us that the act of writing itself is a gesture, a symbol of thought and communication. The way these notations fill the page is reminiscent of ancient texts, inscriptions that carry meaning beyond their literal content. The scrawled handwriting itself mirrors the dynamism of Breitner’s paintings, capturing fleeting moments with a raw, immediate energy. Consider how handwriting has evolved over time, from formal calligraphy to personal, idiosyncratic styles. It is a palimpsest of personal history, a record of individual expression. This page engages us on a subconscious level, inviting us to decipher the artist’s thoughts. The non-linear, cyclical progression of the symbol, and how it has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in different historical contexts.