Stadsgezicht, mogelijk rooiwerkzaamheden aan de Laan van Meerdervoort te Den Haag Possibly 1882 - 1900

This sketch, possibly depicting work on the Laan van Meerdervoort in The Hague, was made by George Hendrik Breitner. Here, scaffolding dominates the scene, an emblem of construction and transformation. These structures, seemingly temporary, remind me of similar motifs in Renaissance art, where architectural frameworks often symbolize both the building of new worlds and the impermanence of human endeavors. Consider the Tower of Babel, a recurrent image reflecting mankind’s aspirations and inevitable collapse. Such scaffolding mirrors not just physical construction, but also the psychological framework we use to build our lives. Just as the Tower of Babel was fated to fall, the sketch evokes an emotional tension, a fleeting moment in the continuous cycle of building and decay. The scene captures the raw energy of progress, yet whispers of vulnerability and transience.