Geknielde figuur naast een paard 1887 - 1891

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch of a kneeling figure next to a horse using graphite on paper, and it is now held in the Rijksmuseum. The loose strokes and unfinished quality, along with the stamp in the corner, tell us that this work likely came directly from the artist's studio. Breitner was very interested in representing ordinary working people in the Netherlands, and this interest led him to become well known for his street photography. The social conditions that shape artistic production include access to education, materials, and institutions like museums or galleries. How do social class and economic structures determine who becomes an artist and whose work gets seen? To better understand this sketch, you might research Breitner’s other works, the art market in the Netherlands during his lifetime, and the social and economic conditions of the working class. Appreciating art is not just about what we see, but about understanding the world in which it was created.