Schetsboek met 38 bladen 1893

This is a sketchbook by George Hendrik Breitner, dating back to the late 19th century in the Netherlands, now held at the Rijksmuseum. It gives us some unique insights into artistic and social life in Amsterdam. Breitner was an important figure in the Amsterdam Impressionism movement. Born in 1857, he captured the city's vibrant street life in his paintings, drawings, and photographs. This sketchbook offers a glimpse into his artistic process, a jumble of notes, sketches, and observations of daily life. We can identify the artist's interests and how they engage with the social world. He depicts women on the street, trams, ships, children, and locations like the Paleisstraat. For historians, artworks like this become valuable resources. Museum archives, private collections, and historical societies become essential for understanding not only the artist's work, but also the world that shaped it. Art always reflects the society it came from, and this little sketchbook is no exception.