Aangespannen paard 1910

This sketch of a harnessed horse was done by George Hendrik Breitner sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Breitner’s mark making is all about capturing the essential form with a kind of frenetic energy, like he’s trying to keep up with a fleeting moment. There's a real sense of urgency in the way the lines are put down; each one feels like a quick decision, a gut reaction to what he's seeing. The texture of the paper peeks through, becoming part of the drawing itself, like the breath between thoughts. Look at how a few, almost scribbled lines define the horse’s head. It’s barely there, but it’s all there. Breitner's work reminds me a bit of Degas, who was similarly interested in capturing fleeting moments of modern life, whether it was dancers or horses. But where Degas is all about elegance, Breitner is a bit grittier, more raw. For Breitner, I think it’s about the immediacy of experience, capturing the raw energy of life as it unfolds.