Gezicht in Amsterdam met arbeiders 1910

George Hendrik Breitner made this drawing of Amsterdam with charcoal on paper. It’s a view, but it’s more like a feeling, like a memory that’s about to fade, just a jumble of lines. See how the marks aren't precious? They kind of grab at the page. There's no blending or smoothing. You can almost feel his hand moving quickly. It reminds me of Cy Twombly's scribbles, only a bit more grounded, more architectural. I wonder what the workers would think if they saw it. The charcoal gives it this ghostly quality, like the buildings are breathing. I love how the lines overlap, creating depth without being too fussy. It's a drawing, but it feels like a place. Like somewhere I've been, or maybe somewhere I want to go. It's so loose, it feels like you could add your own story into it. It’s a sketch, but it's also a world.