Gezicht in Amsterdam met boten en paarden c. 1903

George Hendrik Breitner captured this view in Amsterdam with boats and horses using graphite on paper. There’s a real sense of immediacy in these lines, like he’s trying to capture the scene before it vanishes. Look closely, and you can see how the marks build up, almost tentatively, to create depth and form. The lines are spare but so evocative, and they show the physical presence of the artist's hand as he moved across the page. It's like watching Breitner think through the scene. The sketch reminds me of Cy Twombly's drawings, with their scribbled, searching lines, full of energy and movement. Both artists embrace the beauty of imperfection, reminding us that art is as much about the process as it is about the final image. It’s that sense of discovery that makes this sketch so engaging.