Gezicht in Amsterdam c. 1900 - 1901

This is "Gezicht in Amsterdam" – View of Amsterdam - an undated pencil sketch by George Hendrik Breitner. The sketch itself is utilitarian; a casual arrangement of lines on paper meant only to capture a fleeting impression. But consider this –  the availability of sketchbooks like this was linked to the rise of industrial paper production. The repetitive, linear marks are directly related to the availability of graphite pencils, a relatively new technology at the time. Before mass production, artists often had to mix their own drawing media, a time-consuming and skilled process. Now, the artist could readily purchase a tool that allowed for quick, portable, and relatively clean mark-making. This allowed for a new kind of artistic spontaneity. The sketch is raw and immediate, reflecting an era in which industrialization changed the very texture of daily life. In this drawing, we find not just a view of Amsterdam, but a view *on* Amsterdam, seen through the lens of new materials, faster methods, and a changing society.