Studieblad met kinderhoofden Possibly 1883 - 1885

Editor: This is "Studieblad met kinderhoofden," or "Study Sheet with Children's Heads," a pencil drawing on paper, likely from the 1880s, by George Hendrik Breitner, housed here at the Rijksmuseum. It has such a raw, intimate feel. What captures your attention most when you look at this page of faces? Curator: Oh, it whispers stories, doesn't it? I'm immediately drawn to the dynamism of the lines, how Breitner captures the fleeting expressions of childhood with such economical strokes. Do you see how the energy almost vibrates off the page? Editor: I do, especially in the top sketch – there's almost a scream captured there. Curator: Precisely! It’s as though we’re peering into Breitner's sketchbook, witnessing his process. This wasn't about polished perfection; it's about immediacy, feeling, life itself! What do you think he was exploring through these studies? Editor: Maybe just trying to understand how to represent those really brief, in-between moments of childhood? The one where it is really hard to sit still or stay happy? Curator: I think you are on to something. Breitner was always seeking the soul of modern life, the gritty reality behind the veneer. Perhaps these quick sketches were a way to grasp the authentic emotional states of these young subjects, unrestrained and untamed. I also wonder about their context within Breitner’s wider artistic output, what did these sketches lead to, did he explore these themes elsewhere? Editor: So it is almost like these heads aren't just studies, but little windows into his wider artistic world? I see so much more depth here now. Curator: Exactly! Isn't it amazing how a simple sketch can reveal so much about an artist's vision and the world they sought to capture? I will never look at a simple study page the same again.