Paardenbenen 1887

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch of horse legs with a graphite pencil, but the date of execution remains unknown. It's now part of the Rijksmuseum collection. Breitner was known for his depictions of working-class life in the Netherlands. While this sketch may seem simple, it connects to the broader social and cultural context of late 19th-century Amsterdam, where horses were ubiquitous in urban life, serving as transportation and labor. This sketch embodies a move towards realism, capturing the unglamorous aspects of urban existence. Breitner’s sketch challenges the art academy's traditional emphasis on idealized forms. Was Breitner progressive in his choice of subject? Perhaps. Further research into Breitner’s work, reviews, letters, and the social history of Amsterdam would shed further light on this. Art history continually evolves through this kind of contextual understanding.